New Delhi: The hearing of the plea of the 17 disqualified MLAs of Karnataka came up before the Apex Court on Wednesday, September 25.
Advocate of the MLAs, Mukul Rohatgi told the SC that the 17 MLAs had tendered their resignation but the Speaker, who should have accepted the same went ahead and disqualified them, without accepting the resignation.
“The by-polls are around the corner and September 30 is the last date for filing the nominations. They have tendered resignation at least eight weeks ago. There is an urgency to give a verdict in this case,” Rohatgi said adding that the Court must postpone the by-polls and also squash the disqualification order of the Speaker.
Rohatgi said that the 17 leaders should not be deprived of an opportunity to contest the polls as the SC had already directed the Speaker to accept the resignations. “I am urging postponement or stay on the by-polls because the Speaker has passed an order prohibiting the 17 leaders from contesting polls til 20123. A case on disqualification is still pending before the Court and now the by-polls have been declared. The Supreme Court will look into the validity of the Speaker’s move,” he said adding that the disgruntled MLAs were never given a chance to present their point of view by the Speaker.
(More details awaited)
