Published Sep 21, 2026 | 11:30 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 21, 2026 | 11:30 AM
Nagender had earlier told the media that he had “not thought about” challenging the verdict.
Synopsis: Former Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender has moved the Supreme Court against the Telangana High Court’s September 18 order disqualifying him under the anti-defection law. The High Court had held that Nagender stood disqualified from April 23, 2024, when he filed his nomination as a Congress candidate for the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat while serving as a BRS MLA, and declared the Khairatabad seat vacant.
Former Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender has moved the Supreme Court against the Telangana High Court’s September 18 order disqualifying him under the anti-defection law.
Nagender’s Special Leave Petition (SLP) was filed on Saturday, 19 September. It is yet to be listed for hearing.
BJP MLA Alleti Maheshwar Reddy and BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy, whose petitions resulted in the High Court verdict, filed caveats in the Supreme Court on the same day.
The SLP challenges the judgment of a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin.
The Bench set aside the order of Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar and held that Nagender stood disqualified from 23 April, 2024 – the day that he filed his nomination as a Congress candidate for the Secunderabad constituency for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections while he was still a sitting BRS MLA.
The High Court also declared the Khairatabad Assembly seat vacant, necessitating a by-election.
Nagender had earlier told the media that he had “not thought about” challenging the verdict and that he was ready to contest a by-election to the same seat.
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The Speaker had held that there was a “lack of sufficient evidence” to establish defection and maintained that Nagender was technically still a member of the BRS.
The High Court, in its order, came down hard on the Speaker’s decision to allow Nagender to continue as an MLA, holding that the Speaker’s ruling suffered from “perversity” and amounted to a “breach of constitutional obligations”.
The case also has implications for nine other BRS MLAs who have joined the Congress: Kadiyam Srihari of Station Ghanpur, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy of Banswada, Tellam Venkat Rao of Bhadrachalam, Arekapudi Gandhi of Serilingampally, Prakash Goud of Rajendranagar, Gudem Mahipal Reddy of Patancheru, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy of Gadwal, Kale Yadaiah of Chevella and M. Sanjay Kumar of Jagtial.
The BRS is seeking to use the reasoning in the judgment to strengthen its case for their disqualification.
(Edited by Dese Gowda with inputs from Sreshta Ladegaam)
