Express News Service By

HYDERABAD: In an unprecedented move, Congress MLA SA Sampath Kumar on Tuesday handed over ‘dasti notices’ of the Supreme Court to the Telangana Assembly Speaker and four other Congress MLAs, who have defected to TRS. While Sampath Kumar gave the dasti notice to the Speaker when he was on the chair, the four other MLAs were served notices in the Assembly premises and the photos of serving the notices to the MLAs were taken by the MLA as an evidence.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) chief whip S A Sampath Kumar is the petitioner in the case which dealt with defections of Opposition party leaders into the ruling TRS. Following a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed in Supreme Court, the SC on August 17 issued notices to four MLAs —Kale Yadaiah (Chevella constituency), DS Redya Naik (Dornakal), G Vittal Reddy (Mudhole) and Koram Kanakaiah (Yellandu)—and Assembly Speaker. The SC also permitted dasti notices to the petitioner which allows the latter to personally hand over the notices to the respondents.

Sampath Kumar received the SC orders just on Monday and on Tuesday, the Alampur MLA conveyed the same to CLP leader K Jana Reddy and TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy and sought their permission to hand over the dasti notice to the respondents.

While the House was transacting business, Sampath Kumar walked to the Speaker’s chair and handed over the copy to the Speaker. “The proceedings were going live and it is evidence that the SC notices were given to the Speaker,’’ Sampath Kumar said.

Soon after the session was adjourned sine die, Sampath Kumar went to the four respondents and handed over the notices to them. Sampath Kumar clicked photos on his smartphone.

According to the notice, the respondents have to file their affidavit within 30 days from the date of receipt of notice or not later than two weeks before the date appointed for hearing. The SC will take up the case on September 19.