The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and the office of state Assembly Speaker on two sets of special leave petitions of seven rebel BJP MLAs disqualified form the house.
The seven MLAs in their SLPs challenged the Karnataka HC verdict upholding the decision of the state assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah disqualifying 11 BJP legislators under the anti-defection law for withdrawing support to the CM.
While a bench of Justices Altamas Kabir and Cyriac Joseph issued the notice to the CM by name as he was made a party in person, Speaker Mr K.G. Boopaiah was ordered to be served through his office as he was not personally named as respondent. Besides, notice was issued to the Karnatka government also as a performing respondent.
All the respondents were directed to submit their replies by December 7 by the bench, which passed the brief order during the special mentioning of the two SLPs. After senior counsel Roghinton Narmian, appearing for the seven BJP MLAs sought urgent hearing in the case, the top court fixed the hearing for December 9. Advocate Prashant Kumar, through whom the SLPs were filed, said the remaining four BJP MLAs, disqualified by the Speaker are likely to file their SLP soon to ensure that the petitions of all the 11 expelled legislators were heard together. The court said it would also take up the case of five Independent MLAs, disqualified by the Speaker on December 9 but hear their plea separately as the issue in that case was of limited nature relating to amendment of the petition pending before the HC.
The seven BJP rebels have raised various constitutional questions related to applicability of the Tenth Schedule, which deals with defection.
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CM to meet state party MPs today
New Delhi, Nov. 30: Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who managed to save his post despite corruption charges, has scheduled a meeting of BJP MPs from his state here on Wednesday.
“It is learnt that Yeddyurappa is coming to Delhi. He has invited BJP MPs from the state for a breakfast meeting,” party MP Sadan-and Gowda said. Asked ab-out the purpose of the meeting with party MPs Mr Gowda said issues relating to the state government had been sorted out during the CM’s last visit to Delhi. —PTI