SC rejects Danam Nagender’s plea against disqualification

Danam Nagender. File | Photo credit: RAMAKRISHNA G

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday (September 24, 2026) dismissed MLA Danam Nagender’s plea challenging the Telangana High Court’s order disqualifying him after he defected to the ruling Congress, noting that it was an “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram” case.

In March this year, the High Court set aside the order of the Assembly Speaker dismissing the petitions seeking his disqualification. On March 11, Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar rejected petitions seeking disqualification of Nagender as a legislator.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan said there was no reason to interfere with the Supreme Court’s order. “Your case is ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram, phir aaya Ram’?” Judge Bagchi remarked verbally. The phrase is used to describe politicians who frequently switch parties.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the MLA.

The Supreme Court declared Mr. Nagender, MLA from Khairatabad, disqualified as a member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly from 23 April 2024 after he contested from the Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency on a Congress ticket in 2024 while he was a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA.

The court passed the order while dealing with petitions filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Assembly floor leaders Alleti Maheshwar Reddy and P. Kaushik Reddy of BRS.

The petitioners sought to quash and set aside the Speaker’s order and declare that Nagender would be disqualified as an MLA under 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule from the date of filing the affidavit of nomination for the 2024 General Lok Sabha elections.

Published – 24 Sep 2026 15:39 IST