Nullify elections of BRS MLAs, petitions request Telangana HC

Hyderabad: On Monday, the Telangana High Court took up two petitions requesting the cancellation of elections of two BRS leaders from the 2018 general elections.

In the first, a petition requested the court to nullify the election of BRS MLA from the Mahabubnagar Assembly Constituency. The court was told that Srinivas Goud, during the 2018 general elections, suppressed and concealed information pertaining to lands and loans obtained by his wife, in the election affidavit.

A Single Bench of Justice M Lakshman heard the election petition filed by Raghavendra Raju. The petitioner further contended that Srinivas Goud was working in collusion with the returning officer at Mahbubnagar.

The counsel for the petitioner said that Srinivas Goud filed three affidavits before the RO during the 2018 elections: on November 14, 2018, November 19 and a third time. “Srinivas Goud, in collusion with the RO, replaced the entire affidavit submitted November 14 with the form filed on dated November 19, a blatant violation of RP Act,” the petitioner said.

The judge, after hearing the contention of the counsel said that the law permits a candidate to improvise his election affidavit, and hence, the affidavit on November 19 was taken on record. He adjourned the election petition to August 7 for further hearing.

The counsel for Srinivas Goud told the court that the petitioner is spreading false information pertaining to the case in the media and sought direction from the court to restrain him from speaking about this case in public.

Justice Lakshman then directed the petitioner Raghavendra Raju not to refer to the court proceedings regarding the EP to the media, without the permission of the court.

In the second case, a Single Bench of Justice Dr Chillakur Sumalatha heard an election petition filed by Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay, seeking a direction to declare the election of minister and BRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar, as invalid. Bandi Sanjay’s petitioner informed the court that Kamalakar had suppressed and concealed certain information in his election affidavit before the returning officer in Karimnagar in the 2018 general elections.

The court appointed Shailaja, District Judge (retired) to cross-examine Bandi Sanjay in the election petition from August 12-17 and submit a report. The case was adjourned to August 21.