Supreme Court Slams Telangana CM Revanth Reddy for ‘Mockery’ of Anti-Defection Law

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reprimanded Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for his recent remarks in the state Assembly, where he claimed that no bypolls would be held even if Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs switched to the Congress .

Calling his statement a “mockery of the Tenth Schedule,” a bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai criticized Reddy’s comments. Addressing Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, the court said, “If this was said on the floor of the House, your Honourable Chief Minister is making a mockery of the Tenth Schedule.”

Reddy made the statement while responding to concerns raised by Opposition MLAs during discussions on the Demands for Grants for 2025-26.

The court stressed that statements made in the Assembly have serious consequences.

Justice Gavai made these observations while presiding over two-judge bench hearing pleas by BRS MLAs against the Telangana Speaker’s delay in ruling on disqualification petitions against defecting legislators. The Tenth Schedule deals with anti-defection laws.

Senior Advocate Aryama Sundaram, representing the petitioners, presented Reddy’s statement before the court: “Hon’ble Speaker Sir, through you, I want to assure the members that they need not worry about bye-elections. No bye-elections will happen. Even if they (BRS) want one for their seats, there will be none. Even if their members switch sides, there will not be a by-election.”

The Supreme Court also recalled a previous remark made by Reddy in August last year, where he questioned how BRS leader K. Kavitha secured bail in five months, while Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia waited 15 months and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was still awaiting bail.

During the hearing, Sundaram pointed out Reddy’s remarks, while Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Telangana Assembly Speaker, did not respond to them.

The bench stated, "We want Rohatgi to convey the message to the CM that there shall be no 'repeat action'," while emphasizing that although the court might be slow in issuing contempt notices, it is "not powerless."

Highlighting that such statements should not be repeated, the bench instructed Rohatgi to convey a warning to the Chief Minister.