3 disqualified Karnataka MLAs move SC

New Delhi, July 29

Rebel Congress MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kumathalli today moved the Supreme Court challenging the Assembly Speaker’s decision to disqualify them from the House under the anti-defection law.

Independent MLA R Shankar also filed a separate petition in the top court seeking quashing of Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar’s order to disqualify him.

Earlier, the three MLAs had, along with other rebel MLAs, approached the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Speaker to accept their resignations. But the top court had left it to the Speaker to take a call on the issue. On the eve of BS Yediyurappa government’s crucial trust vote, the speaker rejected their resignations and chose to disqualify them from the Assembly under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

Interestingly, Kumar resigned as Speaker today. The petitioners contended the Speaker’s action violated Article 190 of the Constitution that says the Speaker is only required to see if the resignation by an MLA is genuine and voluntary. They termed Kumar’s action as arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. — TNS