KG Bopaiah appointed as pro-tem speaker ahead of floor test in K'taka

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 18 (ANI): Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R. Vala on Friday appointed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA K.G. Bopaiah as pro-tem speaker ahead of floor test tomorrow in the state assembly, breaking the convention of appointing the senior-most legislator.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court ruled that a floor test be conducted on Saturday at 4 pm for BJP to prove his majority in the state assembly.

The decision was taken after the top court heard the arguments for and against the petition filed by the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) following Governor Vala's invitation to the BJP to form the government in the state.

The BJP has 104 MLAs, but they are still short of the halfway mark of 111 by seven MLAs and have been given 24 hours to prove their majority in the Karnataka assembly by the apex court. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI