The Telangana High Court has granted stay till April 26 on the orders of special sessions court for MLA and MP cases directing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to appear before it in a 2014 case relating to alleged violation of poll code. On a petition filed by Chief Minister Jagan challenging the special sessions court order, the High Court exempted him from personal appearance in the case till April 26. It also admitted Jagan's petition for hearing.
Last week, the sessions court had directed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and two others to appear before the court on March 28 in a pending case registered by Huzurnagar police. On Monday, March 28, Jagan’s counsel sought more time. The court had fixed March 31 as the date for the next hearing. The court had said that after Jagan's counsel files a memo, it will take a decision on his personal appearance. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister moved the High Court.
The case pertains to the 2014 general elections when YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) led by Jagan had filed its candidate from Huzurnagar Assembly constituency. The police had booked a case against Jagan and two other party leaders G Nagi Reddy and G Srikanth for organising a roadshow without taking permission from the competent authority, thus violating the model code of conduct. The roadshow was carried out in Nalgonda on April 4, 2014, allegedly without the required police permissions, therefore violating the MCC.
Jagan, along with Nagi Reddy and Srikanth, have been accused of violating section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and section 143 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code. According to The Times of India, more than seven years since the case was registered, it was recently transferred to the MLA and MP court.