‘Last opportunity’, SC to Telangana speaker to apprise disqualification of BRS MLAs in two weeks

“We are giving you two weeks only...We are giving you the last opportunity now,'' the bench said.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday granted two weeks time as last opportunity to the Telangana Assembly Speaker to apprise it in two weeks on status of adjudication of disqualification pleas against BRS MLAs, who had defected to the ruling Congress.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and AG Masih said that the court is not keen on granting either four weeks or six weeks’ time to the Speaker for the purpose.

“We are giving you two weeks only. Finish it up within that time and if you are unable to do that, then we (have to). You have not done much. He was given that time. Initially also at your assurance, we had given time. We are giving you the last opportunity now,'' the bench said.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, on behalf of the Speaker, sought time for either six weeks or four weeks. 

Singhvi contended that it would not be possible, as there would be counter, rejoinder, argument, and notice. 

The bench asked, "Why didn’t you do it in the meanwhile?''

Singhvi then urged the bench to grant him four weeks. 

“We are keeping it after two weeks to see the progress in this matter, and then accordingly we will decide,” the bench said.  

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, also representing the Speaker, also urged the bench to consider four weeks’ time.

“There was a session, the assembly was in session. The secretary has changed, we are only requesting four weeks,'' he said.

The bench said, it is keeping the matter after two weeks to see the progress on it.  

The counsel pointed out that in seven cases, the order has been pronounced while in one case, the order has been reserved.

“The Speaker could not decide all the disqualification pleas as he had to undergo eye surgery," Singhvi submitted, seeking eight weeks’ time for completion of the proceedings.

Senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu, appearing for the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs, said the Speaker cannot be given time repeatedly as he has not complied with the directions of the court.

Naidu submitted that the Speaker was granted three-months’ time to decide the disqualification pleas but that period is over long back and he strongly opposed the grant of two more weeks' time.

The court on November 17, 2025, issued a contempt notice to the Telangana speaker for not complying with its direction to decide disqualification pleas against 10 BRS MLAs, who had defected to the ruling Congress.

The court on July 31, 2025, had directed the assembly Speaker to decide in three months the matter of the disqualification of the 10 BRS MLAs.

On plea by BRS leaders, the court had observed the non-compliance of its earlier directions as the "grossest kind of contempt" while issuing notices to the speaker and others.

The court had also issued notice on a separate plea filed on behalf of the office of the Speaker seeking extension of time by eight more weeks to decide the disqualification pleas.