The Telangana High Court declared that Chennamaneni Ramesh, a former BRS leader, is a German citizen who falsely presented himself as an Indian to contest elections. The court imposed a Rs 30 lakh fine after finding he did not prove renouncing his German citizenship. This ruling highlights the importance of electoral integrity and adherence to legal norms.
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court ruled today, on Dec 9th, that Chennamaneni Ramesh, a former leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), is a German citizen who used forged documents to present himself as an Indian national and contest elections. The verdict, delivered on a petition filed by Congress leader Aadi Srinivas, marks a significant step in ensuring electoral integrity.
The court found that Mr. Ramesh failed to provide proof from the German embassy confirming the renunciation of his German citizenship. As a result, it imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh, with Rs 25 lakh payable to Aadi Srinivas, who lost to Mr. Ramesh in the November 2023 Vemulawada Assembly election.
Following the ruling, Mr. Srinivas took to social media to celebrate the decision, posting on X,
“Backlash to former MLA Chennamaneni Ramesh… Rs 30 lakhs fined to Ramesh who was elected MLA with false documents as a German citizen…”
Mr. Ramesh, a four-time MLA, initially won the Vemulawada seat in 2009 representing the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). He switched allegiances to the BRS (formerly TRS) and continued his winning streak in 2010, 2014, and 2018. However, questions regarding his citizenship surfaced as early as 2013, when the undivided Andhra Pradesh High Court annulled his bypoll victory for concealing his German nationality.
Despite this, Mr. Ramesh appealed to the Supreme Court, which granted a stay on the High Court’s order. Under this stay, he successfully contested and won the 2014 and 2018 elections.
Indian law prohibits non-citizens from contesting or voting in elections. In 2020, the Union Home Ministry confirmed that Mr. Ramesh held a German passport, valid until 2023. The Ministry stated that his Indian citizenship had been revoked due to misrepresentation and concealment of facts in his application.
The Ministry noted,
“His misrepresentation/concealment of fact misled the Government of India… Had he revealed he had not resided in India for one year before making the application, the competent authority in this ministry would not have granted citizenship.”
Mr. Ramesh challenged the Home Ministry’s revocation order and was directed to submit an affidavit with details of his German passport surrender and proof of relinquishing German citizenship. However, his inability to produce the required documentation led to the High Court’s ruling.
The Telangana High Court’s decision reinforces the importance of upholding constitutional and electoral norms. It also serves as a cautionary tale for those attempting to misuse legal loopholes to subvert the democratic process.
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