HC asks EC not to issue poll notification for Nalgonda, Alampur

The Hyderabad High Court today directed the Election Commission (EC) not to issue any poll notification for six weeks in respect of the Nalgonda and Alampur (SC) Assembly constituencies, which have been declared vacant by the state legislature.

Justice B Siva Sankara Rao observed that even otherwise, the EC had six months' time to notify the vacancies.

The order came on a writ petition filed by Congress MLAs Komatireddy Venkata Reddy and SA Sampath Kumar, who were expelled for their alleged unruly behaviour on March 12 during the governor's address to a joint sitting of the legislature.

Reddy and Kumar disputed the allegations levelled against them and claimed that their voice was being throttled for being sceptical about the state government's policies.

They prayed that the action against them be revoked.

The advocate general, representing the state Legislative Assembly, said the behaviour of the MLAs was unbecoming of the members of the august House and that the Assembly was supreme in deciding what action should be taken against the members.

Reddy and Kumar were expelled from the Legislative Assembly on March 13.

Legislative Council Chairman K Swamy Goud had suffered an eye injury when a headphone thrown towards the podium hit him after the conclusion of the governor's address on March 12.

He was treated at an eye hospital.