‘Don’t use court for political battles’: SC dismisses BJP’s defamation case against Telangana CM

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a Telangana High Court ruling that quashed a defamation case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party against Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for his allegedly defamatory comment during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Bar and Bench reported.

The bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai, and Justices K Vinod Chandran and Atul Chandurkar warned the BJP against using the courts in its political fights with opponents.

A politician should have “strong skill to bear” criticism, the court was quoted as saying.

The bench was hearing a plea filed by the BJP challenging the High Court’s August 1 decision to quash the defamation suit against Reddy.

The party’s Telangana unit had filed the case through its state general secretary, alleging that Reddy had connived with the Congress “to develop a fake and dubious political narrative” that the BJP will end reservations in government jobs and education if it wins 400 seats in the general election, Bar and Bench reported.

A trial court had in August 2024 issued a notice to the chief minister, saying that a prima facie case had been made against him. Reddy had moved the High Court seeking that the case be quashed.

Justice K Lakshman of the High Court had ruled that Reddy, in his speech, had alluded to the BJP at the national...

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