HC orders status quo till Feb 8 on appointment of MLCs Prof Kodandaram, Amir Ali Khan

Hyderabad: On Tuesday afternoon, the Telangana High Court ordered the status quo on the notification on January 25 issued appointing Prof Kodandaram and Amir Ali Khan as MLCs under Governor Quota, after the governor approved their names for the post of MLCs. The swearing-in ceremony of the two MLCs was slated to be held tomorrow (January 31), which will now be kept in abeyance till the next date of hearing.

The orders of the status quo will be in force till February 8 i.e., the next date of hearing of the two writ petitions filed by Dr Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satynarayana before the Chief Justice Bench, whose names were recommended by the erstwhile BRS government, for the post of MLC under the Governor Quota, which were rejected by the governor citing reason.

CJ bench finds fault with State

The Chief Justice Bench found fault with the decision of the State Government in recommending afresh, the names of P Kodandaram Reddy and Amir Ali Khan as MLCs under the Governor Quota when the two writ petitions filed by Dr Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satynarayana challenging the rejection of their nomination by the Governor is pending adjudication before the Chief Justice Bench.

On January 29, Dasoju Sravan and K Satyanarayana filed two interim applications in the main writ petitions seeking a stay on GO 12 dated January 27 through which Kodandaram and Amir Ali Khan were appointed as MLCs and another seeking impleadment of these two persons to the writ petitions.

Aditya Sondhi, a senior advocate practising in the Supreme Court of India representing Dasoji Sravan, vehemently opposed the decision of the State Government in recommending afresh, the names of Prof Kodandaram and Amir Ali Khan as MLCs when this issue is pending adjudication in the Court.

“The notification is issued nominating two fresh names cited and such a decision of the office of the governor was in a press release on January 17 issued by the governor overreaching the gentleman’s agreement which was arrived at between the parties in the court stating that the State will not decide against recommending fresh names for the MLC posts under the Governor Quota till February 8,” the senior counsel informed the court.

Sudarshan Reddy, advocate general, informed the court that an order appointing the two new persons as MLCs has been passed under the Representation of the Peoples Act on January 24 and in light of the above, the office of the governor issued a notification.

The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, was adjudicating the two writ petitions filed by Dr Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satynarayana, whose names were recommended by the erstwhile BRS government, for the post of MLC under the Governor Quota, but were rejected by the governor.

The case has been adjourned to February 8.