HC bins defamation case against CM
Bharatiya Janata Party
over remarks he allegedly made during the 2024 general election campaign.
Justice K Lakshman held that attempting to make a criminal defamation case out of a political speech would itself be an exaggeration, noting that such speeches are typically charged rhetoric aimed at political opponents.
The complaint had been filed by Kasam Venkateshwarlu, general secretary of Telangana BJP, alleging that Revanth made "false, defamatory, and provocative" statements during a public address on May 4, 2024, including accusations that the BJP intended to abolish SC, ST, and BC reservations, if voted to power.
The BJP argued that the remarks harmed the party's public image.
You Can Also Check:
Hyderabad AQI
|
Weather in Hyderabad
|
Bank Holidays in Hyderabad
|
Public Holidays in Hyderabad
The complainant sought criminal action under section 499 of the IPC (defamation) and section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. A trial court had taken cognisance of the case, prompting Revanth to seek quashing of proceedings before the high court.
Justice Lakshman quashed the case, citing multiple legal grounds. The court found that BJP's Telangana unit is not a separately recognised political party under the Representation of the People Act or the Constitution.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
The World's Most Stunning Blue Flag Beaches Ranked: Top 25 List!
Lintmit.com
Click Here
Undo
Only the national BJP has such recognition. Therefore, the state unit lacked legal standing to file a complaint independently, it said.
The court further noted that Venkateshwarlu had no authorisation from the national BJP leadership to pursue legal action. Since the alleged remarks were directed at the BJP as a whole, only the national party or its duly authorised representative could have filed such a complaint.
Justice Lakshman emphasised political speeches inherently allow a wider latitude for criticism and exaggeration, and treating such remarks as criminal defamation could stifle democratic discourse and free speech. Accordingly, the court quashed the proceedings pending before the legislators' court in Hyderabad, holding that the complaint was not legally sustainable.
Senior counsel T Niranjan Reddy, appearing for CM Revanth, welcomed the ruling, stating that the judgment upholds the spirit of free expression in political debate. He said the order reaffirms that state units of national parties cannot independently initiate defamation proceedings without explicit authorisation from the central leadership.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
19 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
'Can't comment on actions of EC': Centre cites 1988 ruling to reject Opposition demands for Bihar SIR debate
NEW DELHI: The Union government has signaled its unwillingness to allow a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, with Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh invoking a 1988 ruling by former Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar to reject the Opposition's demand. On Tuesday, Harivansh cited Jakhar's December 1988 decision, which barred parliamentary discussion on the functioning or decisions of the Election Commission (EC), stating that the autonomous body's actions cannot be scrutinized in the House. 'You know that I cannot comment upon the actions and decisions of the EC, which is an autonomous body. Never before have I done it, nor will I do it now. Unless you amend the Constitution and bring the EC under parliamentary purview, we cannot discuss its decisions,' Harivansh said, quoting Jakhar's ruling. The Deputy Chairman's remarks came as he dismissed 34 notices submitted by Opposition MPs, most seeking the suspension of business under Rule 267 to urgently debate the SIR in Bihar and other states. Harivansh cited procedural flaws, including incorrect formatting, the sub judice nature of some matters, and the absence of precedent for such discussions. He expressed concern over the frequent misuse of Rule 267, meant for 'rarest of rare' cases, noting that most notices lacked proper citations or pertained to issues outside Parliament's jurisdiction. 'Despite clear rules, some members are using Rule 267 casually, disrupting proceedings when their notices are disallowed,' he said. Highlighting historical data, Harivansh pointed out that very few such notices had been accepted—none between 2000–2004, only four from 2004–2009, one out of 491 during 2009–2014, and just six out of 3,152 between 2014 and the 2025 Budget Session.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
19 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Abhishek Banerjee warns TMC workers over performance, flags NRC, SIR risks
Setting the course of the party's roadmap ahead of 2026 assembly polls, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday issued a blunt warning to underperforming booth-level functionaries and mounted a fierce attack on the BJP and the Election Commission over the alleged exclusion of Bengali-speaking voters from electoral rolls. In a high-stakes virtual meeting with party leaders, Banerjee said booth presidents who fail to deliver will be replaced, and those indulging in politics of self-interest will face serious disciplinary backlashes. If you can't take responsibility, step aside, Banerjee was quoted as saying by a party insider who attended the meeting. A three-time MP from Diamond Harbour and Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek, who is widely seen as the de facto No. 2 in the party, was on Monday named the TMC Lok Sabha leader. According to several TMC leaders present at the closed-door virtual meet, Banerjee said, This election is not just about votes, it's about protecting our identity, our language, and our dignity. The BJP wants to brand every Bengali as Bangladeshi. We must fight back on the ground, in court, and before the Commission.. Banerjee referred to the Election Commission's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and warned that booth-level leaders must remain vigilant as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) visit households. Any negligence in this task will not be tolerated, a party MLA quoted him as saying. He told booth-level presidents to be alert. If BJP-backed BLOs or officials are manipulating the process, their names must be reported to the district presidents, who will escalate it to the top leadership, said a TMC leader. Citing the NRC notices issued to people in parts of North Bengal, Banerjee alleged that the BJP was using the backdoor through the Election Commission to delete names from the rolls. Even today, fresh NRC notices are being served. BJP is testing how far they can push. If they win, they will call everyone Bangladeshis, he said, according to a senior TMC leader. Referring to a Delhi Police communication that allegedly labelled Bengali citizens as Bangladeshis, Banerjee said, Why are Bengal's BJP MPs and MLAs silent on this insult?. Banerjee also targeted Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his past remarks suggesting Bengali speakers could be sent to detention camps. These people oppose Durga Puja, insult Bengali language, and look at us with hatred, he told party colleagues. On the TMC government's flagship programme Amader Para, Amader Samadhan', Banerjee said it was the first-of-its-kind initiative since Independence and must be implemented in full sincerity. Abhishek said that the Rs 10 lakh allocated for each area must be spent strictly on local public demands. No interference will be tolerated from panchayat chiefs, councillors, or MLAs, said a party leader from South 24 Parganas. He urged MLAs to increase their outreach. Even if you can't fix problems right away, people want to be heard. Listen to them. That matters, he told them. Party insiders said Banerjee was especially critical of those more focused on proximity to senior leadership than grassroots work. He said, Those doing I-you politics will face very bad consequences. You are here because the party exists. Loyalty without performance means nothing. If the people reject us, none of us matters', said a senior party functionary. There are booths where we have lost repeatedly. Those in charge there don't deserve to stay on. Performance is the only criterion. This applies to everyone, Banerjee said, according to one MLA. He also attacked the BJP over financial deprivation, stating that over Rs 1.75 lakh crore due to West Bengal has been withheld by the Centre. Banerjee asked area presidents to hold regular booth-level meetings with at least 30-40 local residents to build public trust and counter the BJP's narrative. He made it clear that BJP is conspiring to deny people their right to vote. But if people can vote freely, BJP's deposit will be forfeited, said a district leader. In a final rallying call, Banerjee reminded the party of its past victories and future goals. We reduced the BJP from 18 to 12 Lok Sabha seats. Why can't we bring them from 77 to below 40 in the Assembly? Mamata Banerjee's single-engine government is stronger than all their double-engine failures. Let's prove it, a TMC leader quoted him. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India.com
19 minutes ago
- India.com
Mamata Banerjee Accuses Election Commission Of Planning SIR To Impose NRC In West Bengal
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, on Tuesday, reiterated her allegation that the BJP-led Union government wants to impose the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in West Bengal through Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. "A plan to slap NRC is being hatched in the name of conducting SIR. Ensure that your name is on the voter's list. Every individual must have his name on the voter's list. If anyone's name is excluded, then bring it to the notice of the concerned authorities. We will stand by those people. We will not tolerate if people are sent to Bangladesh after deleting their names from voters' list. Indian citizens shouldn't be branded as Bangladeshis," Banerjee said. Speaking to media persons after visiting flood-affected areas in Ghatal of West Midnapore district, the Chief Minister also added that it was the Election Commission of India that planned the idea of the EPIC card. "Who came up with Aadhaar cards? Crores of rupees were spent to make these cards. Why won't these cards, along with ration cards, be considered proof of citizenship? It is a planned game by the BJP government at the Centre with the help of the ECI. We do not tolerate this," CM Banerjee said. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister once again criticised the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for releasing its water to West Bengal and vowed to erect a dam and channel the water back to Jharkhand after coming to power post the 2026 state Assembly polls. "I come to Ghatal every time. This place witnesses floods everywhere. This time, the DVC has broken all records by releasing water. They do not dredge there. They have not dredged for 20 years. When it rains, water is released into Bengal. After the 2026 state Assembly polls, we will plan how to stop the release of water. It will cost money. But we will also build a dam and then release it somewhere else. We are fed up with taking this pain. This time we will also make a game plan," CM Banerjee said. The Chief Minister also hit out at the Union government for its alleged step-motherly attitude towards Bengal. "Earlier, the Union government used to give money to prevent the erosion of the Ganges. Now we have to do everything by ourselves. I have been telling the Union government about the Ghatal Master Plan for a long time. They have not done anything. It was supposed to be done by them. But we have already made a plan worth Rs 1,500 crore. The work has started. More work will be done after the monsoon season. A committee has been formed," she said. She again criticised the BJP for its stance on the Bengali language and Bengali migrant workers. "Now they (BJP) are saying that Bengali is not a language. Instead, they are demanding that I (Chief Minister) be arrested under the National Security Act for raising these questions. I am speaking in Bengali again. How dare they say that there is no language called Bengali," she said. Earlier on Tuesday, CM Banerjee told that West Bengal has registered a 12 per cent year-on-year growth in gross GST collections for July 2025. In a social media post, CM Banerjee said the state collected Rs 5,895 crore in GST revenue last month, up from Rs 5,257 crore in July 2024. "Glad to share that West Bengal has reported a robust 12 per cent year-on-year growth in gross GST collections for July 2025, recording a collection of Rs 5,895 crore, compared to Rs 5,257 crore in the same month last year, according to provisional figures just released by the Union government," she said. "Cumulative growth rate in our state's GST revenue till July is 7.71 per cent. This marks a steady improvement in business and consumption in West Bengal, which is a sign of good economic health," CM Banerjee added.
