Overview
- Chief Justice B. R. Gavai, with Justices K. Vinod Chandran and Atul S. Chandurkar, refused to entertain the appeal and warned against turning the court into a political battleground.
- The order leaves intact the Telangana High Court’s August 1 ruling that quashed proceedings stemming from a May 2024 complaint by BJP state general secretary Kasam Venkateshwarlu.
- The High Court found the complaint not maintainable because the remarks were directed at the national BJP and the state official lacked authorisation under Section 199(1) of the CrPC.
- The High Court also held that political speeches are often exaggerated and that criminal defamation claims over such rhetoric require a higher threshold.
- A Hyderabad trial court had in August 2024 found a prima facie case and issued notice, but the Supreme Court’s dismissal signals possible costs for litigants who pursue partisan disputes in court.