Telangana HC Orders MLAs Danam Nagender and Bandla Krishna Mohan to File Counters

The Telangana High Court in Hyderabad on Thursday directed Congress MLAs Danam Nagender and Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy to file counter affidavits in a batch of petitions challenging the Assembly Speaker's decision to reject their disqualification.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin issued the order on Thursday, June 25, 2026. The court was hearing a batch of writ petitions concerning the defection of legislators from the opposition to the ruling party. The bench has adjourned the matter to July 22, 2026, for further hearing.

The legal dispute arises from petitions filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislators. The opposition MLAs are challenging the official orders of Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. The Speaker had previously ruled that there was insufficient material to conclude that ten defected legislators had incurred disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with the anti-defection law.

According to the BRS petitioners, ample material was presented to the Speaker to prove that the legislators had defected to the ruling Congress party. The petitioners argued that despite this evidence, no disqualification action was taken against the MLAs who had switched loyalties after winning the 2023 Assembly elections on BRS tickets.

In addition to the BRS petitions, the court is also hearing a plea filed by BJP Legislature Party leader Aleti Maheshwar Reddy. His petition specifically seeks the disqualification of Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender on grounds of defection.

During the High Court hearing, the division bench took note of the legal submissions from the petitioners. The bench then directed respondents Danam Nagender and Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy to officially record their stands by filing counter affidavits before the court.