New Delhi, Aug 8 (UNI) The Supreme Court today refused to entertain a Special Leave Petition seeking to declare Aadi Srinivas, the runner-up in the Vemulawada Assembly election, as the elected MLA after the Telangana High Court held that four-time legislator Ramesh Chennamaneni was a German citizen and therefore disqualified from contesting or holding public office.
A Bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice NK Singh dismissed the petition, observing that it could not “resurrect” the matter since the term of the election in question had already expired.
The Court declined to interfere with the High Court’s decision, despite its finding that Chennamaneni had suppressed material facts about his German citizenship.
In December 2024, the Telangana High Court had imposed a cost of Rs 30 lakh on Chennamaneni for concealing his foreign citizenship status.
The case arose from his challenge to a 2019 Central Government order cancelling his Indian citizenship.
Appearing for Srinivas, Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal argued that the High Court, while recording that Chennamaneni had committed fraud on the country, failed to provide consequential relief by declaring Srinivas as the duly elected MLA or by ordering the removal of Chennamaneni’s name from the Election Commission and Legislative Assembly records.
He also noted that Chennamaneni continued to draw legislative benefits, including a pension, despite the disqualification finding.
Srinivas, who won the Vemulawada seat in 2023, has been contesting Chennamaneni’s eligibility for years, seeking formal recognition as the rightful winner of the earlier poll.
