Ahead of the Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, the state’s Legislative Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram on Tuesday disqualified 8 sitting MLAs – four each from the ruling YSR Congress and the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The MLAs were disqualified based on complaints from their respective parties. They were accused of violating party discipline and engaging in activities contrary to the party’s principles.
“The following members of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly were disqualified on February 26 by the Hon’ble Speaker, Andhra Pradesh, Legislative Assembly under X Schedule of the Constitution of India and as per the Members of Andhra Pradesh Assembly (Disqualification on grounds of defection rules), 1986,” a circular from the Speaker’s office said.
“The disqualified members include Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy, Kotam Reddy Sridhar Reddy, and Undavalli Sridevi, following a petition filed by the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP),” said an official statement from the chief minister’s office (CMO).
The disqualified MLAs had shifted their allegiance from their original parties to other political entities, a move that, in the eyes of the Speaker, undermines the democratic fabric and the voters’ mandate.
According to the CMO statement, the disqualification decision came after a thorough examination of the allegations and evidence presented in the YSRCP’s petition against the mentioned MLAs.
The Telugu Desam Party had also filed a petition against Maddalagiri, Karanam Balaram, Vallabhaneni Vamsi, and Vasupalli Ganesh. Its petition had alleged various misconduct and actions incompatible with the party’s principles.
Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy, K Sridhar Reddy and Undavalli Sridevi were from the ruling YSR Congress.
Earlier, the Assembly Speaker had issued notices to all the eight MLAs to hear their version before disqualifying them.
The disqualification of the MLAs is unlikely to necessitate by-elections as the Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls are expected to be held in a few weeks.
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Published: 27 Feb 2024, 08:02 PM IST