HC to pronounce verdict on Ind MLAs disqualification on Monday

A full bench, comprising justices A S Bopanna, Mohan Shantanagoudar and S Abdul Nazeer, had on February 1 reserved its orders after concluding hearing from both parties.

P M Narendraswamy, Venkataramanappa, Gulihatti Sekhar, D Sudhakara and Shivaraj Tangadagi were disqualified by Bopaiah on October 10, a day before Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa sought the vote of confidence, which he won.

The five legislators, along with 11 BJP rebel MLAs, had earlier withdrawn support to the Yeddyurappa government by submitting a letter to Governor H R Bhardwaj.

The Speaker had passed the composite order on separate writ petitions by two BJP MLAs C T Ravi and D N Jeevaraj, who is also Chief Whip of BJP legislature party, and one voter each from five Assembly constituencies represented by the five MLAs, seeking their disqualification.

The MLAs contested the disqualification order on the ground that they were not BJP members and remained independents.

But the ruling BJP had maintained that they had joined BJP and attended its legislature party meetings and hence were part and parcel of the party.