The Top Court on Wednesday said it will pass appropriate order and dispose of the
the plea filed by two Independent MLAs seeking floor test, only in the presence of advocates of both the sides – Mukul Rohatgi representing rebels and Abhishek Manu Singhvi representing the Congress and the Assembly Speaker.
A top court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi observed this after being apprised
of the absence of both the counsels in court.
“Where is Mukul Rohatgi? Where is Abhishek Manu Singhvi?” the Chief Justice asked, to
which Rohatgi’s junior submitted that he is not in the national capital.
#Karnataka rebel MLAs case in SC: Supreme Court today said, "We will pass appropriate orders & dispose of the petition with respect to Karnataka floor test, but only in presence of Mukul Rohatgi (rebel MLAs' lawyer) & Abhishek Manu Singhvi (Congress lawyer)." pic.twitter.com/LsLhv1RUU8
— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2019
READ: Karnataka Crisis: SC declines to give an urgent hearing on a plea by independent MLAs for the conclusion of Floor Test
Following which he requested to bench to defer the hearing for tomorrow.
The plea was filed by Independent legislators who earlier withdrew the support from Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Both the Independent Lawmakers – H Nagesh and R Shankar – made Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Karnataka Assembly KR Ramesh Kumar, and the Union Government as respondents in the plea. The petition filed by two MLAs contended that the government, which does not have the number in the house, is being allowed to continue in the office.
It came on the backdrop when the Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy led coalition government on Tuesday fell after it suffered a defeat in the floor test of the assembly.
“Chief Minister Kumaraswamy has lost the floor test, as 99 votes were in favor of the confidence motion and 105 against it,” Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar told the members of the House after the trust vote.
With 20 MLAs defying the party whip and were absent for the floor test, the strength of the 225-member Karnataka Assembly was reduced to 204 with 103 as the halfway mark for a simple majority.
The political crisis in the state begun early this month with the resignation of 11 MLAs of Congress and Janata Dal (Secular). As the crisis deepens, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had on July 18 announced to hold a trust vote in the Assembly.
Soon after the defeat, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy rushed to the Governor Vajubhai Vala and submitted his resignation, which was accepted by him. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State President BS Yeddyurappa will meet Governor Vajubhai Vala today and will claim stake to form a government in the state.
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