Telangana court asks police chief to identify officials accused of mistreating women MLAs

The Telangana High Court has directed the State’s Director General of Police to identify police officials accused of misbehaving with women legislators during an incident at the Assembly entrance on September 7. Justice T. Madhavi Devi modified an earlier order after considering a petition filed by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi Legislature Party.

The court ordered the DGP to furnish a report to the Speaker for necessary action. If the incident occurred outside the Assembly precincts, at the entry point, the DGP was also directed to submit a report to the court, according to the order. BRS legislators had approached the High Court after police prevented members from entering the Assembly on the first day of its eighth session.

An earlier order directed authorities not to stop legislators from entering from the following day. The judge said action for violations of Assembly rules was a matter for the Speaker, not the police. The court also noted that the First Information Report did not mention a violation of prohibitory orders.

The Advocate General, A. Sudarshan Reddy, told the court that police had asked BRS legislators not to enter wearing black T-shirts bearing slogans. He alleged that T.

Harish Rao threatened police and that K.T. Rama Rao made objectionable comments about women officers. He further alleged that some legislators attempted to force their way inside and that several removed their T-shirts in front of women police personnel.

The Advocate General argued that the entry gate fell within the Assembly precincts. The court said the prohibitory orders concerned public meetings or processions within a four-kilometre radius and did not bar legislators from entering the Assembly or Council. It also said authorities had not explained why women legislators were taken to the BRS office when there was no allegation or evidence that they had misbehaved with police.