'Politicians must have thick skin': SC dismisses BJP's defamation plea against Telangana CM Reddy

Chief Justice BR Gavai, in a sharp observation, remarked, “We have repeatedly said — do not use this court to settle political scores. If you are a politician, you need to have a thick skin.” The bench made it clear that the court cannot be dragged into political debates under the guise of legal proceedings.

The background

The case stems from a complaint filed by K Venkateshwarlu, the General Secretary of BJP Telangana, who alleged that CM Revanth Reddy made a defamatory remark during a campaign speech, claiming, "If BJP wins 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, they will abolish reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs."

Following the speech, Venkateshwarlu approached a magistrate’s court, which directed the filing of a case against CM Reddy under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

However, the Telangana High Court, in August 2025, dismissed the petition. It ruled that the alleged remarks were against the BJP as a political party, and that the petitioner — who had filed the complaint in his personal capacity — did not qualify as an "aggrieved person" under Section 199(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

Supreme Court hearing

During Monday’s hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for CM Revanth Reddy, argued that political discourse, even if sharp, does not automatically constitute defamation. He stated, “If this is defamation, then no political debate can happen.”

On the other side, the BJP's counsel argued that the High Court had contradicted its own reasoning and sought to reinstate the complaint. However, the Supreme Court bench found no merit in the arguments and refused to entertain the appeal.

A message to political parties

The apex court's dismissal of the petition comes with a stern reminder to political actors about the misuse of judicial processes for partisan gains. The court stressed the need for maintaining the sanctity of legal forums and discouraged turning courts into platforms for political vendettas.