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Will decide on disqualification on Wed: Speaker to SC 

Last Updated 16 July 2019, 17:21 IST

Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar on Tuesday proposed before the Supreme Court to decide upon the resignation as well as disqualification proceedings against the rebel MLAs from the JDS-Congress coalition government by Wednesday.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, who appeared for Kumar, maintained before a three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that it was a case of anti-party activities by the MLAs, saying the evil of defection has to be contained, as there has been degradation in public life.

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He said the apex court’s order of July 12 for maintaining status quo on 10 rebel MLAs should be modified so that he can decide both the resignations and the disqualification matter on Wednesday. He also asked the court not to issue any specific direction to him.

In an affidavit, the Speaker stated, “I will decide both the resignation letters and the disqualification petitions at the earliest and in accordance with law”.

He also stated, as on date, resignation letters and disqualification petitions of all the petitioners and the applicants seeking impleadment were pending consideration before him.

“I state no disqualification petition has been returned by him, the order dated July 12 may accordingly be modified and the constitutional process may be allowed to reach its logical conclusion,” the two-page affidavit said.

In his detailed arguments, Singhvi said disqualification and resignations cannot be decided in separate silos. “The whole exercise of date and speed of the decision is wrong equation. Even if it takes months and years later, disqualification can take place.

“Date and race is irrelevant as MLA would lose all perks and allowance on the disqualification,” he said.

“This court is not to decide the existence or seriousness of disqualification. It was
for the first time, on July 11, they appeared before the Speaker. Four persons till the date did not appear,” he pointed out.

“Evil of defection is to be controlled. There has been degradation, that is the reality of public life. I am imploring not to enter into political thicket. You cannot take away my vested constitution right by entertaining an Article 32 petition,” he said.

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(Published 16 July 2019, 06:38 IST)

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