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[POLITICS] · India · 12 sources

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Telangana High Court disqualifies MLA Danam Nagender for party defection

The Telangana High Court has disqualified Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender under the anti-defection law, setting aside a previous decision by the Assembly Speaker to reject his disqualification. The court ruled that Nagender violated constitutional provisions after defecting from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to the Congress party while retaining his legislative seat. The disqualification is effective retrospectively from April 23, 2024, the date he filed his nomination for the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat as a Congress candidate.

The ruling declares the Khairatabad Assembly seat vacant, which will necessitate fresh elections. In response, the Telangana unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the verdict, describing it as a victory for democracy and demanding that all other defected MLAs resign and seek a fresh mandate. Conversely, the BRS has stated that other legislators who switched loyalties to the Congress will likely face similar legal consequences.

BJP leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy, who filed the original petition, has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to ensure he is heard should Nagender challenge the High Court’s decision.

Entities

Bharat Rashtra Samithi · Bharatiya Janata Party · Danam Nagendar · Danam Nagender · Indian National Congress · Khairatabad · Telangana High Court

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