Roja to file contempt plea in High Court today

Hyderabad: YSRCP MLA Roja’s suspension set to kick off a flurry of activity in the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad and also on the floor of the Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly on Monday.

While Roja is readying herself to move a contempt of court petition in the High Court alleging that the Legislative Assembly did not allow her to enter the portals of the House though the court had stayed the operation of her suspension from the House.

The judge, who heard the case at the instance of the Supreme Court, had given a ruling that Roja could attend the session and adjourned the case to four weeks.

The Assembly then moved the High Court’s Division Bench on the basis of Article 212 of the Constitution which prohibits courts from inquiring into the proceedings of the Legislature.

The validity of any proceedings in the Legislature of a State shall not be called into question on the ground of any alleged irregularity of procedure, the Article 212 says.

On the other hand, Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao circulated copies of the single judge’s verdict quashing Roja’s suspension to all members of the House.

Since the decision to suspend her was taken by the Assembly, he said he was putting the judgment before the House to enable it to take appropriate decision after a thoroughly debating the issue, he said.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister P Pulla Rao on Sunday said the debate would take the judgment into consideration and also the resolution the House had adopted on December 18 on her suspension.

Then, a final decision on the stand to be adopted by the House would be taken. It would also take privileges’ committee recommendations into consideration prior to arriving at a decision, he said.