JOIN USThe JD(S) has filed a petition in the High Court of Karnataka against seven of its rebel MLAs. The petition - filed by C N Balakrishna, Shravanabelagola MLA, and B B Ningaiah, Mudigere MLA, seeks the disqualification of the seven MLAs under the anti-defection law. The petition will be heard on Tuesday.
The petition seeks an interim relief by way of directions to the Speaker not to permit the seven MLAs to either participate or cast their votes in the ensuing election to the Rajya Sabha on March 23. The petition has been moved against Zameer Ahmed Khan, N Cheluvarayaswamy, A B Ramesha Bandisiddegowda, H C Balakrishna, Akhanda Srinivasamurthy, Iqbal Ansari and S Bheema Naik.
The petition states that the seven MLAs stood disqualified the moment they voted against the official candidate of JD(S), violating the whip issued for the Rajya Sabha election held on June 11, 2016.
Speaker reserves order
Assembly Speaker K B Koliwad on Monday reserved his ruling after conducting a hearing on a petition filed by the JD(S), seeking disqualification of its seven rebel MLAs.
During the hearing, the petitioners appealed to the Speaker to dispose of the petition immediately as the seven MLAs had announced that they would vote in favour of the Congress candidate during the Rajya Sabha polls.
Koliwad, however, said that it was not binding on him to pass the orders immediately. He said there was no connection between the disqualification petition before him and the Rajya Sabha polls.