Telangana CM Revanth Reddy Gets Partial Relief From High Court In Defamation Case Over BJP Reservation Remarks

The High Court has now rescheduled the case for June 12 after hearing Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's motion to have a criminal defamation prosecution dismissed. Reddy allegedly said during a public meeting in Kothagudem last year that the BJP will do away with reservations if elected to power. This was the basis for the complaint, which was first filed in the Nampally Public Representatives Court.

Through petitioner Kasam Venkateswarlu, the BJP filed a criminal charge, claiming that Reddy's comments harmed the party's standing. The petitioner submitted audio and video records of Reddy's speech, and the Nampally Court has already taken up the case. A judicial recording of his statement has also been made.

Reddy claimed in his High Court case that his comments were part of political debate and referenced multiple Supreme Court rulings to back up his assertion that political utterances are not defamatory. His defense team insisted that the remarks were made without malice.

Reddy received partial relief from the High Court by being excused from making an in-person appearance in the Nampally Court, even though the court declined to suspend the matter in the lower court.