New Delhi, 16 January (H.S.): A Supreme Court bench led by Justice Sanjay Karol directed Telangana Assembly Speaker on Friday to file a status report within two weeks detailing progress on disqualification petitions against 10 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs who defected to Congress.

During the hearing, the Speaker sought eight weeks to adjudicate the cases, following the Court's November 17, 2025, contempt notice—issued by then-Chief Justice BR Gavai's bench—for failing to decide within three months as mandated July 31, 2025.

The apex court had warned that delays undermine democracy, urging Parliament to reform the Speaker-centric process prone to deliberate procrastination shielding defectors.

BRS's petition highlighted inordinate delays by the Speaker on pleas concerning 10 legislators elected on its 2023 ticket before switching allegiance. On February 10, the Court affirmed parties' democratic rights, mandating time-bound rulings while questioning counsel if reasonable time equated to Assembly session closure; Telangana High Court had previously ordered expeditious action.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar