Focus now shifts to by-elections

Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah has said he had informed the Election Commission on disqualification of the rebels on the day they were unseated according to the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.  However, C S Suranjana, Chief Electoral Officer told Deccan Herald said his office was yet to receive any intimation from the Speaker’s office. “If the letter has gone to the Election Commission of India, then a copy would have come to my office. But we have received only a letter pertaining to the resignation of three MLAs (M C Ashwath, S V Ramachandra and M Narayanaswamy),” he said.

N K Bhat, senior advocate, Supreme Court said that as per the rules, the Election Commission will have to hold election within six months after a seat is rendered vacant.
What if the disqualified MLAs approach the Supreme Court? “If the Supreme Court grants a stay on conducting elections, the EC can’t go ahead. Otherwise, as per the norms elections will have to be held within six months,” he said.  Bhat said disqualified MLAs were not barred from contesting by-polls. They are disqualified only from the existing membership.