SC faults Revanth's comments on bypolls in Assembly

Hyderabad: The Supreme Court on Wednesday faulted the comments made by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on the floor of Assembly assuring the House that no bypolls will be held in the constituencies of BRS MLAs who joined the Congress.

The division bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih observed that the comments of the Telangana Chief Minister is nothing but the “mockery of the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution”.

When senior counsel Aryama Sundaram, appearing for BRS MLAs Padi Kaushik Reddy and others in the SLP on disqualification of defected BRS MLAs, brought to the notice of the court, the Bench took strong exception.

The senior counsel said that the Chief Minister had made the statement particularly on the floor of the Assembly in the presence of the Speaker.

Justice Gavai faulted the attitude and observed that a political statement being made in "Ramleela Maidan" is different from something said on the Floor of the House. "When politicians say something in the Assembly, it has some sanctity."

The Bench also asked senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi that you should have warned the Chief Minister against uttering such words. Earlier also he made such comments on bail to Kalvakuntla Kavitha.

Rohatgi had earlier represented Revanth Reddy in a petition filed seeking transfer of cash-for-vote case to Madhya Pradesh from Telangana, and now represents the secretary of the Legislative Assembly in the disqualification case.

The Supreme Court had taken exception to the comments of Revanth Reddy, who in the chit-chat with media persons, commented that Kavitha would get a bail in the Delhi liquor scam because of an understanding between the BJP and the BRS. When the Supreme Court expressed its displeasure, Rohatgi tendered an apology on behalf of Revanth Reddy.

Now, the Bench warned that there shall be no repeat action, as the court may be slow in issuing contempt notices, but it is not powerless.