Bengaluru: A three bench divisional bench headed by Justice NV Ramana is expected to deliver judgement on the petition filed by the 17 disqualified MLAs against the former Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar’s order of disqualification.
Then speaker KR Ramesh Kumar had disqualified these 17 MLAs from JDS and Congress under the provisions of the anti-defection law when they decided to quit their parties. These MLAs questioned the speaker’s decision at the Supreme Court, which is expected to deliver judgement by noon after postponing the same couple of times.
These 17 MLAs are planning to contest from their respective constituencies if Supreme Court quashes the speaker’s order on the disqualification. By-election in these 17 assembly constituencies is scheduled to be held in December.
On Wednesday, the 17 disqualified MLAs told the Supreme Court that they have an ‘indefeasible right’ to resign as members of the Assembly and billed off former Speaker’s action as mere act of vengeance.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for some of the disqualified MLAs, told a three-judge bench that the former speaker had “violated” the top court’s order by deciding against them.
Rohatgi told the bench that speaker had not given the mandatory seven days to these MLAs to respond to disqualification applications moved against them and added that if the disqualification of these MLAs is valid, it will be so till next elections and they can contest the by-polls.
