Speaker Names 13 Member Panel to Study Telangana Hate Speech Bill

On Monday, July 6, 2026, Telangana Assembly Speaker G Prasad Kumar officially constituted a 13-member Select Committee in Hyderabad to examine the controversial Telangana Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2026. The committee is headed by Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, who will serve as its Chairman.

The newly formed Select Committee has been instructed to thoroughly examine the bill and submit its comprehensive report to the House. This report must be presented on or before the concluding day of the 2026 Monsoon Session.

The legislative journey of the bill has seen significant debate. Back on March 30, 2026, the Telangana Assembly had referred the Telangana Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2026, to a Select Committee. This referral was prompted by a wave of objections and suggestions raised by members representing various political parties across the state.

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar had initially introduced the bill in the Assembly on behalf of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. Despite its introduction, the proposed law met with swift opposition from multiple political quarters.

Major political parties, including the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), all raised objections to the bill. Even the Communist Party of India (CPI), an ally of the ruling Congress, strongly opposed the proposed legislation.

During the discussions, CPI member Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao demanded the outright withdrawal of the bill. Rao specifically questioned the legal provisions within the bill that could hold an entire political party accountable for statements made by its individual members.

Although the Assembly agreed to refer the bill to a panel in March, the Select Committee was not constituted at that time. Following Monday's announcement by Speaker G Prasad Kumar, the 13-member committee will now finally begin its work to address these political objections.