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Karnataka LATEST news updates: In the wake of HD Kumaraswamy deciding to seek a trust vote, Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar Friday said a slot would be allotted whenever the Karnataka Chief Minister opted for it. “The chief minister has spoken his mind that he would not cling to power amid the confusion. He said he will seek the trust of the House,” the Speaker told reporters in Bengaluru. “Whenever he tells me that he wants to move the trust motion, the very next day I will put it in the business of the day,” he added. After the hearing in the Supreme Court, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy sought a vote of confidence in the Karnataka State Assembly. “Today there are many things happening in our state’s politics because of the decisions of many MLAs, which has created a difficult situation. I am not here to sit in power, I appeal to you that in light of the developments I want to move a trust motion.” Breather for Congress-JD(S) ruling combine as the Supreme Court said that it needed to be examined if Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar required time to decide on disqualification of the MLAs. “It also requires to be ascertained if the Speaker yesterday sent back the disqualification petitions,” the Supreme Court order. Representing Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, Abhishek Manu Singhvi stated that it was a constitutional duty of the Speaker to ensure that mass resignations are voluntary and genuine. Singhvi argued that the disgruntled MLAs’ intention in giving resignation is something different, and it is to avoid disqualification. The hearing of disgruntled MLAs resumed in the Supreme Court. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who is representing the ten rebel MLAs said that the Karnataka Speaker was acting in a partisan manner. Rohatgi said, " Karnataka Speaker is ducking and acting in a partisan manner. If MLAs say they want to resign, and it is voluntary, then what more is there to it? There is no procedure for it." A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was told by the counsel of Anil Chacko Joseph, Karnataka Youth Congress leader, that the resignations by the rebel MLAs were nothing, but a kind of defection and sought a hearing as an intervenor. The apex court has listed for hearing on Friday the petition of the 10 rebel MLAs seeking a direction to Karnataka Assembly speaker KR Ramesh Kumar for accepting their resignations. Chacko, in his application, said that a resignation had the same effect as defecting from a party and that the MLAs were “bought or persuaded to resign by payment of enormous sums of money”. A fresh plea has been moved in Supreme Court by Karnataka Youth Congress chief and 400 party workers. The party members filed an intervention application in the top court, saying that resignation of lawmakers is “tantamount to defection”, and hence demanded their disqualification. The matter has been mentioned before the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar Thursday moved the Supreme Court against its order asking him to take a decision on the resignation of 10 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs during the course of the day. The matter was presented before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi who said that the Speaker’s application be taken up for hearing along with the main matter on Friday. The bench, which also comprised justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose, told Singhvi that it has already passed the order on Thursday morning and it was for the Speaker to decide his course of action. [caption id=“attachment_4989851” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
File photo of Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy. ANI[/caption] The bench told Singhvi that Kumar’s application will be heard on Friday. Senior advocate Devdutt Kamath said in the application the Speaker has submitted that the rule permits him to decide the application seeking disqualification of the rebel MLAs. He said the order passed in the morning only indicated that the Speaker will take a decision forthwith in the course of the day on the resignation tendered by the 10 rebel MLAs. The Speaker has sought vacation of the ex-parte order passed on Thursday morning, asking him to take a decision on the resignation of the 10 MLAs during the course of the day i.e. 11 July. He submitted that the order passed in the morning was based upon submissions made by the rebel MLAs without reference to several directly relevant articles of the Constitution, which oblige the Speaker to perform his constitutional duties under the Article 190 (1) (B) as well as the 10th schedule of the Constitution. The Speaker submitted that the proviso to Article 190 (1) (B) specifically contemplates an enquiry for ascertaining whether the resignation is voluntary and genuine. “It is only after such enquiry/process that the satisfaction of the Speaker can be reached,” he submitted. The Speaker submitted that the 10th schedule casts a mandatory duty on him to decide applications for disqualifications under para 2 of the 10th schedule. He stated that the question which therefore requires to be decided by the Speaker is whether any disqualification has been incurred by the MLAs concerned prior to the submission of the resignation letter. The Speaker submitted that the rebel MLAs who have approached the apex court have cast aspersions questioning his integrity which are completely “false and frivolous”. He asked the court to consider his plea for recalling the direction passed on Thursday morning, directing him to “take a decision forthwith and in any case in the course of the remaining part of the day.”
Karnataka News Updates: Will allot slot for vote of confidence whenever HD Kumaraswamy seeks it, says Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar
Karnataka news updates: In the wake of HD Kumaraswamy deciding to seek a trust vote, Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar Friday said a slot would be allotted whenever the Karnataka Chief Minister opted for it.
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Four of the 14 dissident Karnataka MLAs visit Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai
Amid the political upheaval witnessed in Karnataka, four of the fourteen rebel MLAs from the state who are camping in Mumbai, Friday visited the famous Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai and offered prayers to Lord Ganesh.
The four legislators – Byrathi Basavraj, ST Somashekar, Shivaram Hebbar and BC Patil, visited the temple located in central Mumbai. They were among the fourteen rebel MLAs from Karnataka who returned to a luxury hotel in Mumbai on Thursday evening after submitting their resignations to the Assembly Speaker in Bengaluru.
The rebel MLAs of the Congress-JD(S) coalition have returned to the Renaissance Hotel in suburban Powai, where they would be staying for another two days.
Will allot slot for vote of confidence whenever Karnataka CM seeks it, says Assembly speaker KR Ramesh Kumar
In the wake of HD Kumaraswamy deciding to seek a trust vote , Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar Friday said a slot would be allotted whenever the Karnataka Chief Minister opted for it.
“The chief minister has spoken his mind that he would not cling to power amid the confusion. He said he will seek the trust of the House,” the Speaker told reporters in Bengaluru.
“Whenever he tells me that he wants to move the trust motion, the very next day I will put it in the business of the day,” he added.
The embattled chief minister Friday sought time from the Speaker to move the trust vote in the House in the wake of resignation by 16 MLAs – 13 from the Congress and three from JD(S).
BJP decides to move it MLAs to Bengaluru’s Ramada Hotel
BJP too mulls over shifting MLAs to resort, say reports
According to media reports, the BJP too is thinking of moving its lawmakers to a resort by Friday evening. Earlier, the Congress said that it would move its MLAs to Bengaluru’s Clarks Exotica Convention Resorts.
‘Our decision is final, there is no going back’: Rebel MLA BC Patil outside Siddhi Vinayak Temple
Congress to move its MLAs to Bengaluru’s Clarks Exotica Convention Resorts post Assembly proceedings
Waiting for SC order till Tuesday: Rebel MLAs in Mumbai
With the dissident legislators remaining firm on resigning from the Congress-JD(S) ruling combine, Karnataka MLAs BC Patil and two others came out of Mumbai’s Renaissance hotel to visit Siddhivinayak Temple.
“We are going back to the hotel. We are together and all are united. We tendered our resignation and came to Mumbai. Now, Supreme Court;s order is till Tuesday, we will honour it,” the MLAs said.
RECAP | Speaker has responsibility to satisfy himself whether resignations were voluntary: advocate Rajeev Dhavan
Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, said the apex court had passed an “ex-parte” order without issuing notice to the Speaker.
Several corruption allegations against the state government have been levelled in the plea of the rebel MLAs while securing a judicial order, Dhavan said. One of the rebel MLAs were involved in a Ponzy scam for which the government is being accused, he added.
“Speaker has the responsibility to satisfy himself that resignations were voluntary… The Supreme Court order was passed without hearing the other side, what can the speaker do in such a situation,” said Dhavan.
Not here to cling to power: Kumaraswamy in Karnataka Assembly
The embattled JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said he was ready for everything and that he was not here to cling to power.
Kumaraswamy made the plea seeking the trust vote in the Assembly, which met in Bengaluru amid a flurry of political developments that have pushed his government on the brink of collapse.
A total of 16 MLAs including 13 from the Congress and three from JD(S), have submitted their resignations, while two independents, who were made Ministers recently, have rescinded their support to the 13-month old ruling combine.
HD Kumaraswamy seeks trust vote in Assembly
After the hearing in the Supreme Court, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy sought a trust vote in the Karnataka State Assembly
“Today there are many things happening in our state’s politics because of the decisions of many MLAs, which has created a difficult situation. I am not here to sit in power, I appeal to you that in light of the developments I want to move a trust motion.”
Plea of rebel MLAs should not have been entertained: Kumaraswamy
On behalf of Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the Supreme Court that plea of MLAs should not have been entertained. “In their plea, MLAs levelled corruption allegations and order was passed without hearing the CM,” Singhvi added.
Next hearing on Karnataka political crisis on Tuesday
SC orders status quo till Tuesday on Karnataka’s 10 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs
Breather for Congress-JD(S) ruling combine as the Supreme Court said that it needed to be examined if Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar required time to decide on disqualification of the MLAs. “It also requires to be ascertained if the Speaker yesterday sent back the disqualification petitions,” Sc order.
The top court has also ordered status quo with regard to resignation and disqualification of 10 MLAs. The matter will be heard next on Tuesday.
‘Resignation is a ploy to avoid disqualification’: Singhvi making submissions for Speaker
Representing Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, Abhishek Manu Singhvi stated that it was a constitutional duty of the Speaker to ensure that mass resignations are voluntary and genuine.
Singhvi argued argue that the disgruntled MLAs’ intention in giving resignation is something different, and it is to avoid disqualification.
“Resignation is a ploy to avoid disqualification,” said Singhvi.
Karnataka Assembly Timeline:
The political turmoil continued to haunt the 15th state Assembly, ruled by the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) combine, the coalition partners in Karnataka, with 18 MLAs submitting their resignations till now.
In total, 16 MLAs (13 from the Congress and three from the JDS) have resigned over the last week, pushing the coalition government to the brink of collapse. Two independent MLAs have also withdrawn support to the 13-month-old coalition government.
Not involved in any such petition: Karnataka Congress after youth members move SC against rebel MLAs
Contradicting the media reports showing that Youth congress has moved the Supreme Court seeking disqualification of rebel MLAs, the Karnataka Congress tweeted that it was “far from truth”.
Inquiry needed to ascertain if mass resignations of Karnataka MLAs are genuine: Abhishek Manu Singhvi
Making submissions on behalf of Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that an inquiry was needed to be conducted to look into the mass resignations of rebel MLAs and ascertain if they are genuine.
“By way of 1974 Amendment, it has been made clear that resignations cannot be merely accepted and inquiry has to be conducted to ascertain if resignations are genuine,” said Singhvi.
Hearing of rebel MLA’s plea resumes in Supreme Court, Mukul Rohatgi accuses Speaker of ‘riding two horses’
The hearing of disgruntled MLAs resumed in the Supreme Court. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who is representing the ten rebel MLAs said that the Karnataka Speaker was acting in a partisan manner.
Rohatgi said, " Karnataka Speaker is ducking and acting in a partisan manner. If MLAs say they want to resign, and it is voluntary, then what more is there to it? There is no procedure for it."
Will give whip to attend the Monsoon session from today: Yeddyurappa
Ahead of the Karnataka Monsoon Assembly session, which is scheduled to begin at 12.30 pm, BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa said, “We will give a whip to attend the session from today to the end of this month.”
Resignations of rebel MLAs tantamount to defection, says Karnataka Youth Congress leader Anil Chacko Joseph
A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was told by the counsel of Anil Chacko Joseph, Karnataka Youth Congress leader , that the resignations by the rebel MLAs were nothing, but a kind of defection and sought a hearing as an intervenor.
The apex court has listed for hearing on Friday the petition of the 10 rebel MLAs seeking a direction to Karnataka Assembly speaker KR Ramesh Kumar for accepting their resignations.
Chacko, in his application, said that a resignation had the same effect as defecting from a party and that the MLAs were “bought or persuaded to resign by payment of enormous sums of money”.
The apex court allowed Chacko to be heard as intervenor in the matter.
Karnataka Congress workers file intervention application in SC, seeks disqualification of rebel MLAs
A fresh plea has been moved in Supreme Court by Karnataka Youth Congress chief and 400 party workers. The party members filed an intervention application in the top court, saying that resignation of lawmakers is “tantamount to defection”, and hence demanded their disqualification.
The matter has been mentioned before the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.
Don’t understand what further verification is required: Advocate Rohatgi on Karnataka Speaker taking time to ‘decide’ on resignations
Representing Karnataka rebel MLAs, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said that he was perplexed as to why Speaker Ramesh Kumar needed further time to verify the resignations if all the lawmakers had appeared before him and submitted heir affidavits.
“We’ll ask court to implement its order so that speaker takes decision as soon as possible. If all MLAs appeared before him, gave affidavits and moved Supreme Court that they want to resign, what further verification is required I don’t understand,” said Rohatgi.
Karnataka Assembly Monsoon session to begin at 11am
The 11-day monsoon session of the Karnataka legislature will commence at 11 am on Friday with chief minister HD Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) coalition government on a sticky wicket following resignation of 16 MLAs – 13 from Congress and the three from JD(S).
Kumaraswamy said his Cabinet was ready to face the situation “bravely” and “withstand” it unitedly. The chief minister also said he was ready to face a no-confidence motion, if moved by the Opposition BJP.
What is anti-defection law?
Anti-defection law, also known as the tenth schedule of the Constitution, was amended in 1985 to prevent political defections and stop legislators from switching sides.
The 13-month-old Congress-JDS government had earlier in the month of July slumped into crisis following the resignation of 10 MLAs.
Congress leader and Karnataka Irrigation Minister DK Shivakumar, who is back in Bengaluru after a failed trip to Mumbai to meet and placate the disgruntled MLAs staying there, expressed his optimism that “good sense will prevail” and the dissidents will withdraw their resignations.
“I have confidence that they will have good sense and not leave party from which they have been elected,” Shivakumar said at the Vidhana Soudha.
The 225-member state Assembly includes one nominated MLA. The halfway mark is 113.
RECAP | Kumaraswamy says Congress-JD(S) alliance going strong despite efforts to destabilise
Amid crisis within the Congress-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka, Karnakata chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said that the coalition government is going strong despite efforts being made to destabilise it.
“Congress-JD(S) coalition in the state is going strong despite the efforts to destabilise. We are confident and prepared for smooth and fruitful conduct of legislative sessions,” Kumaraswamy said ahead of the commencement of the monsoon session of the legislative Assembly.
He went on to say that it is “unnecessary” to give importance to Tourism Minister Sa Ra Mahesh’s “casual meeting” with BJP leaders at the new building of KK guesthouse, managed by KSTDC, which comes under his portfolio.
Chikkodi MLA and chief whip of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government Ganesh Hukkeri had on Thursday issued a whip to party MLAs to attend the Assembly session to pass the finance bill.
Kumaraswamy said that the Assembly will discuss several other matters and absent MLAs will be disqualified under the ‘anti-defection law’.
Karnataka Speaker to meet three dissident MLAs at 4pm today
As the political upheaval in Karnataka continued to split over to Friday, Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar has given appointment to three of the five legislators whose resignations were in the prescribed format on Friday at 4 pm.
RECAP | karnataka speaker moves SC against order to take decision on resignation of 10 rebel MLAsSpeaker
Ramer Kumar moved the top court against this order on Thursday, and the matter was mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi who said that the Speaker’s application is taken up for hearing along with the main matter on Friday.
The bench told Singhvi that Kumar’s application will be heard Friday.
SC to hear plea of disgruntled Congress-JD(S) MLAs, Speaker today as political turmoil in state deepens
The political turmoil in Karnataka spilled over to another day as Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, despite a Supreme Court order, ruled out any immediate decision on the resignation of rebel MLAs in the crisis-hit ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition, saying he cannot be expected to work at “lightning speed”.
On Thursday, Kumar moved the top court against its order asking him to take a decision on the resignation of 10 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs during the course of the day.