Hyderabad, Oct. 2 (Maxim News) : Suspense continues over the Khairatabad Assembly by-election after the Election Commission of India (ECI) told the Telangana High Court that it will not issue a bypoll notification until a pending election petition filed by Congress leader P Vijaya Reddy is decided.
Speaking to the media, Vijaya Reddy said she had full faith in the court and expected a favourable decision in her election petition challenging Danam Nagender’s 2023 victory.
Vijaya Reddy had filed the election petition in 2024, alleging that Nagender had failed to disclose material information about the assets of his wife and dependents in his election affidavit. She has sought cancellation of his election and a declaration that she be treated as the elected candidate.
Vijaya Reddy Says Bypoll Should Await Court Verdict
Vijaya Reddy said she believed the court could declare her the MLA if Nagender’s election was held invalid.
She also referred to Supreme Court precedent while arguing that a by-election should not be held before the pending election petition is decided. She said that if her petition is rejected, she would consider approaching the court again on the grounds for such a decision.
The latest development came after Nagender’s disqualification as Khairatabad MLA.
The Telangana High Court disqualified him in September, and the Supreme Court subsequently upheld the decision. The seat was then declared vacant.
During the hearing of Vijaya Reddy’s latest petition, her counsel argued that the seat could not be treated as an ordinary casual vacancy while the election petition concerning the 2023 election remained pending.
ECI standing counsel Avinash Desai told the High Court that the Commission would not treat the seat as a casual vacancy until the election petition reaches final adjudication. The division bench directed the ECI to submit a formal affidavit confirming its position and adjourned the matter to October 6.
Vijaya Reddy also said that if a by-election is eventually held, the decision on the Congress candidate would rest with the party leadership.
For now, the ECI’s position means the Khairatabad by-election notification will not be issued while the pending election petition remains unresolved. The final course of the seat will depend on the High Court proceedings and subsequent orders. (Maxim News)
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