Hyderabad, 1 November 2025 –
The dispute over ten MLAs who defected from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to the Indian National Congress has taken a fresh turn. The Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly has formally requested the Supreme Court for an additional eight weeks to complete the disqualification hearings.
Key Facts
- The Supreme Court had directed the Speaker to resolve the disqualification petitions within three months.
- Of the ten MLAs in question, only four have so far been examined.
- The Speaker’s office acknowledges the delay and cites official engagements and legislative duties as reasons for seeking the extension.
- Meanwhile, the BRS party has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court opposing any further extension and calling for immediate action.
Background & Significance
The disqualification petitions were filed after the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections, when the ten MLAs elected on BRS tickets reportedly joined the Congress without resigning their original party posts.
Under the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, such defections can attract disqualification. The Supreme Court has emphasised that delays by Speakers in adjudicating such petitions undermine the anti-defection law.
What’s at stake?
If the Speaker fails to decide within the extended period, it could trigger by-elections in the respective constituencies, jolting state politics. The BRS contends that the Speaker’s delay is a breach of the Supreme Court’s earlier direction. Simultaneously, the defected MLAs argue due process must be followed.
What happens next?
- The Supreme Court will consider the Speaker’s petition for an 8-week extension.
- The Speaker must issue final orders on all ten MLAs before the extended deadline if granted.
- The BRS has asserted it will push for immediate implementation of the anti-defection law and monitor any further delays.