Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar will restart hearings on disqualification petitions against four BRS MLAs who joined Congress. Visitor entry to the Assembly premises has been barred until October 31.

Speaker to Resume BRS Defection Hearings; Assembly Entry Closed to Visitors Until Oct 31

Hyderabad: Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar is set to resume hearings on the disqualification petitions filed against Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs who defected to the Congress Party.

The Speaker, who recently returned from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) conference in Barbados, will restart proceedings on Friday, October 25. The hearings pertain to four MLAs — Prakash Goud, Kale Yadayya, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, and Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy — whose cases were paused during his absence.

Out of ten legislators served with disqualification notices, eight have submitted written replies, while Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari are yet to respond. According to reports, the Speaker may conclude the first round of hearings by Friday and take up cases related to the remaining MLAs — Arikepudi Gandhi, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Tellam Venkata Rao, and M. Sanjay Kumar — from October 27.

In view of the sensitive proceedings, the Assembly administration has restricted entry into the premises until October 31. Visitors, media personnel, and even former legislators have been temporarily barred to maintain decorum during the hearings.

Analysis: The renewed hearings mark a crucial phase in Telangana’s political landscape, as the outcome could influence the strength of parties ahead of future sessions. The Speaker’s move to limit access to the Assembly underscores the political tension surrounding defections — a recurring issue in state politics. The verdicts, once delivered, are expected to set a precedent for how the state handles future cases of party switching.