The Supreme Court directed the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker to decide Nirmala Sapre's disqualification plea within two months. The order reinforces the need for swift rulings in anti-defection cases.Newdelhi,Nov 4, 2026 15:42 ISTThe Supreme Court has directed the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker to decide within two months a petition seeking the disqualification of Congress MLA Nirmala Sapre under the anti-defection law, news agency Press Trust of India reported.The petition has remained pending for over two years.
The court stressed that pleas filed under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution must be decided quickly.A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana also expressed displeasure over the Madhya Pradesh High Court's refusal to ensure a speedy decision on the petition against Sapre.Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Umang Singhar filed the petition in July 2024. It alleges that Sapre voluntarily gave up her membership of the Indian National Congress, on whose ticket she was elected in the 2023 Assembly polls, and joined the BJP.
Senior advocate Vivek Tankha, appearing for Singhar, described the matter as a "classic case which spelt death knell of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution". He said Sapre had left the Congress and was campaigning with the opposing party, but the Speaker had not begun proceedings, PTI reported.The Supreme Court noted the allegations that Sapre had voluntarily given up her party membership, which could lead to disqualification under the Tenth Schedule.
It also observed that the petition had remained undecided for more than two years. The High Court had earlier dismissed Singhar's plea seeking a time-bound decision.
It held that there was no urgency because proceedings were underway before the Speaker and Sapre had denied resigning from the Congress or joining the BJP.Disagreeing with the High Court's approach, the Supreme Court said petitions under the Tenth Schedule must be decided quickly even if a court finds no immediate urgency or considerable time remains before the Assembly's term ends.The bench then directed the Speaker to decide the pending disqualification petition against Sapre within two months.Sapre, a first-time MLA from Bina in Sagar district, won the seat on a Congress ticket in 2023. She allegedly joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav during the Lok Sabha election campaign in May 2024.
Sapre later said she had neither resigned from the Congress nor formally joined the BJP.The Supreme Court's order requires the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker to rule on the disqualification petition within two months, while Sapre continues to deny leaving the Congress or formally joining the BJP.- Ends