The Telangana High Court is preparing to hear a significant writ petition aimed at declaring BRS MLC P. Venkatrama Reddy ineligible for his current post. The case is expected to come before a bench led by Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh within the next couple of days, following a directive issued to the Registry on Tuesday, September 16, to assign a number to the plea.
The petition was jointly filed by J. Shankar and R. Subender Singh, who are seeking a ‘quo warranto’ — a legal action requiring a person to show by what authority they hold public office. Their primary argument centers on the claim that Mr. Reddy assumed the role of MLC without ensuring his voluntary retirement was officially accepted by the Union government.
According to the petitioners, Mr. Reddy tendered his resignation as the Medak District Collector on November 15, 2021, submitting his letter to the Chief Secretary, just prior to his nomination as an MLC by the BRS party. The State government promptly accepted his resignation on the very same day, and he was subsequently elected as an MLC the following day.
However, the petitioners contend that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) did not formally approve his resignation. They highlight a mandatory procedure for All India Service officers, which requires a three-month advance notice to the DoPT if an officer intends to resign. This critical step, they allege, was not fulfilled by Mr. Reddy, thus rendering his subsequent election as MLC questionable.