SC hearing on plea against pro tem Speaker

Congress leader G Parameshwara and JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy on Friday filed a fresh plea in the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of K G Bopaiah as pro tem Speaker and sought directions for nominating the senior most MLA to the post.

The Supreme Court fixed the plea for hearing at 10.30 am on Saturday.

In an application, the petitioners also sought direction to video-record the proceedings in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and issue instructions to ensure segregation of MLAs — supporting or opposing the motion to be moved by BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday.

A bench of Justices A K Sikri, S A Bobde and Ashok Bhushan which passed the order on Friday on the floor test would take up this plea as well, petitioners’ counsel Devadatt Kamat told reporters.

With the appointment of Bopaiah as pro tem Speaker following the order on Friday for the floor test, the petitioners rushed again to the top court, claiming Bopaiah has a “dubious and controversial record of passing biased disqualification orders” in 2010.

They have also pointed out that Bopaiah has been severely criticised and strictures have been passed against him by the top court while setting aside the disqualification orders passed by him as Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly. The plea also sought modification in the order passed by the apex court on Friday regarding the floor test.

The petitioner-leaders claimed that the “sole purpose of appointing a relatively junior member of the House is nothing but an attempt to seize and manipulate the floor test” slated to be held on Saturday.

The petitioners’ counsel have approached the CJI at his residence for getting the matter heard on Saturday itself. But The registry officials have also sought CJI Dipak Misra’s instructions. Finally, it was fixed for consideration on Saturday.