Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court asked the Chairman of the Legislative Council on Friday how he ascertained that the disqualified MLCs had defected when he had decided to disqualify them.
Apart from news reports in the newspapers in both electronic and print media, what was the evidence taken into consideration before disqualifying, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Shameem Akther asked counsel for the Chairman of TSLC.
The bench was dealing with the petitions filed against their disqualification by Mr Yadava Reddy, Mr R. Bhupathi Reddy, and Mr. Ramulu Naik. As the arguments of the petitioners had completed, the turn of the respondents started.
Additional Advocate General J. Ramachandra Rao, appearing for the Council Chairman, told the court that Mr Bhupathi Reddy, being an elected MLC from the TRS, met Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi at the party`s political meeting held at Medchal, just before the Assembly elections.
He submitted that the petitioner had not opposed or denied the news reports about his joining the Congress. Further, the AAG said that after the disqualification notice was issued, Mr Bhupathi Reddy had changed his contention and stated that he met Mrs Sonia Gandhi to thank her for creating the state.
Justice Chauhan inquired about the opportunity given to Mr Bhupathi Reddy to cross-examine reporters and editors of those media houses who had published the news.
The court adjourned the case to June 10 for reply arguments of Mr Yadava Reddy.
