Disqualified BRS MLA Vanama Venkateswara Rao moves HC, seeks 30-day suspension of order

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court reserved the order in Vanama Venkateswara Rao’s interim application seeking suspension of the single bench judgment declaring his election as void and invalid.

Justice G. Radha Rani had declared the election of Rao, MLA Kothagudem, as void on the ground that he had concealed certain information in Form 26 in terms of Rule 4-A of the Conduct of Election Rules 1961 and rules contemplated in the Representation of People Act 1951.

Justice Rani also imposed a fine of Rs five Lakh on him for filing a false affidavit before the Election Commission of India during the 2018 general election, by concealing information pertaining to him and his wife’s assets.

Justice Rani declared Jalagam Venkata Rao, the petitioner in the case as the elected candidate from the Kothagudem assembly constituency.

On Wednesday, Rao filed an interim application seeking a direction to suspend the judgment passed by Justice G. Radha Rani.

Arguing before Justice G. Radha Rani, the counsel for the petitioner stated that he has not yet received the certified copy of the judgment so as to enable him to approach the Supreme Court with an appeal against the High Court order.

Further, the counsel argued that the next general election is scheduled to be held in December 2023 and he intends to contest it also.

Since, the date of his election as an MLA in 2018, the petitioner contended that he has been serving the people of the constituency by discharging his duties, and at this point in time, if the order copy is not furnished to him, it will cause serious prejudice to him.

The petitioner prayed before the Court to suspend the operation of the judgment for a period of 30 days.