The Telangana High Court has issued notices to Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar and Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender on a writ petition challenging the Speaker’s decision to dismiss a disqualification plea against the legislator.

A bench on Monday asked them to file counter-affidavits while hearing a petition by BJP floor leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy. Reddy has sought to set aside the Speaker’s order rejecting the disqualification petition against Nagender.

The matter has been posted for April 16. The issue goes back to March 11, when the Speaker dismissed petitions seeking disqualification of two BRS MLAs accused of switching to the ruling Congress.

The pleas were against Danam Nagender and Kadiam Srihari. Maheshwar Reddy had first moved the Speaker with a disqualification petition against Nagender. After it was dismissed, he approached the High Court.

The next hearing will take up the replies filed by the Speaker and the MLA.