The JD(U) Mandya unit on Friday filed a petition with Legislative Assembly Speaker K B Koliwad seeking disqualification of Mandya MLA M H Ambareesh (Congress) for continously staying away from the proceedings of the House.

In his petition, JD(U) Mandya unit president B S Gowda has stated that Ambareesh has not been attending the Assembly proceedings after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dropped him from the Cabinet in June last year. Gowda submitted his petition to the offices of Koliwad and Governor Vajubhai Vala.

He said the interests of people of the Mandya constituency, represented by Ambareesh, are not being taken care of due to his absence from the Assembly. According to rules and procedure of the legislature, the Speaker can declare a seat vacated if a member has remained absent from all its meetings for a period of 60 days without permission. When contacted, Koliwad said the petition is yet to reach him.