Roja petition sent back to AP High Court

The Supreme Court on Monday heard a petition on the future of YSRCP MLA Roja, who was elected from the Nagari constituency in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The apex court asked her to approach the Andhra Pradesh High Court and directed it to give an opportunity to Roja to file her counter. The Supreme Court also directed the High Court to complete hearing on her petition by this year-end. YSRCP MLA Roja approached the Supreme Court to quash the petition filed against her election from the Nagari constituency. Earlier, the petition was filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court by one Rayudu, who argued that Roja's election from Nagari was invalid and served a notice in connection with the petition. The YSRCP leader had urged the High Court to quash the petition but the Court, however, decided to take both the petitions together for hearing. Later, Roja has chosen to move the Supreme Court on the ground that the simultaneous hearing of two petitions was against the law and has made an appeal to the SC seeking two petitions to be taken separately for hearing. Roja, who has got no respite in her one-year suspension from the AP Assembly despite appealing to the Supreme Court, has increased her legal woes with a fresh petition.