The Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) Coalition Government led by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy will face trust vote in Karnataka Assembly today. The discussion on the floor test will begin at 11 am in the Karnataka Assembly.
Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had on Wednesday issued a whip to all its 37 Legislators including the rebels – Narayana Gowda, H Vishwanath, and Gopaliah – to remain present in the Assembly during the floor test.
Chief Minister had also issued a warning saying that if any MLA remains absent or vote against the party whip, strict action would be initiated against such legislators under defection law and they will be disqualified from the House.
It should be noted that the Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the 15 rebel MLAs cannot be compelled to take part in the proceedings of the House.
Karnataka government to face floor test today; Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the 15 rebel MLAs cannot be compelled to take part in the proceedings of the House. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/fptdS1fEC5
— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2019
READ: Karnataka Crisis: ‘Assembly Speaker can’t be forced to take a decision within Time Frame’: Top Court
In what can be seen as a breather for Congress-JD(S) Coalition Government of Karnataka, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asserted that the Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar cannot be forced to take a call within a time frame on the resignation of the rebel MLAs.
Speaking on the verdict, Mukul Rohatgi, Senior Advocate representing the rebels said, ‘In view of Trust Vote kept for tomorrow, SC has said two important things- 15 MLAs will not be compelled to attend the House tomorrow. All 15 MLAs are given the liberty that may or may not go to the House tomorrow’.
The plea was filed by 10 rebels of Congress and JD(S) alleging the Assembly Speaker of delaying in accepting the resignation. Apart from this, 5 other rebels including Roshan Baig also approached the Top Court on July 13 stating that they have tendered their resignation on their own and Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar must accept their resignation.
It should be noted that the Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on last week, Friday announced that he will prove his majority in the State Assembly. Chief Minister has asked the Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar to fix a time saying that he would seek a floor test.
Earlier, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered Assembly Speaker to maintain status quo in connection with the resignation of 10 rebel MLAs of Congress and JD-S who tendered their resignation on Thursday. The Top Court Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that the Court will hear the matter again on Tuesday, July 16.
The 13-months old coalition government suffered a huge setback earlier this month when 11 MLAs from Congress–JD(S) ruling coalition tendered their resignation. And thereafter political episode and drama started in Karnataka. Later on, many other MLAs also tendered their resignation taking the tally to over 15 till now.
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