Justice B. Sivasankara Rao of the Telangana High Court on Friday issued bailable warrants to Law and Legislature Secretary V. Niranjan Rao and Legislature Secretariat Secretary V. Narasimha Charyulu in the contempt plea filed by two former Congress MLAs for not enforcing the judge’s order staying their expulsion from Assembly. The two secretaries were asked to appear before the judge on February 15.
The judge directed Hyderabad Police Commissioner to produce them before the court unless the two Secretaries present personal bonds of ₹10,000 each. The judge said he was also recording the remark, which included an objectionable word, made by Additional Advocate General (AAG) J. Ramchander Rao while making his submission. When the contempt plea came up for hearing on Friday, a junior counsel requested the court to adjourn the matter as his senior, appearing for one of the contemnors, was not available. Turning down the request, the judge posted the matter after lunch.
When the hearing resumed after lunch break, the AAG appearing for the Law Secretary sought adjournment. Reminding him that the two were issued contempt notices, the judge sought to know whether the AAG thought that the two should appear before the court.
At this, the AAG stressed on the urgency of the matter. The judge then, asked him to submit his arguments and went ahead with the hearing. Informing the judge that a division bench had already stayed the single judge order on the petition, Mr. Rao read out a paragraph from the order. The judge made it clear that the division bench had set aside his order staying expulsion of the two MLAs.
