Karnataka Crisis: SC To Pronounce Orders Tomorrow On Rebel MLAs' Plea For Acceptance Of Resignations

The focal point of the entire issue is whether the Court can direct the Speaker to take a decision on the resignations submitted by the rebel MLAs, when disqualification proceedings have initiated against them.

Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved orders on the plea by rebel MLAs from Karnataka assembly for directing the Speaker to decide on their resignations. The CJI-led bench will pronounce orders tomorrow morning at 10.30 AM on whether to direct the Speaker to take a time bound decision on the resignation. The focal point of the entire issue is whether the Court can direct the Speaker to take a decision on the resignations submitted by the rebel MLAs, when disqualification proceedings have initiated against them. Arguments were heard from the lawyers Mukul Rohatgi, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Rajeev Dhavan - representing the BJP, the Karnataka Speaker and CM Kumaraswamy respectively. The chief minister also alleged that BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa's personal assistant Santhosh was with Baig when he was leaving, a charge that was later rubbished by the BJP. The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Karnataka Speaker what stopped him from deciding on whether to accept or reject the resignations tendered by MLAs of the Congress-JD-S coalition on July 6. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi sought a clear response from senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi representing Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar. "You were silent on the resignations till the MLAs came to the Supreme Court... Why?" Chief Justice Gogoi asked. Singhvi replied that the Speaker filed an affidavit in the apex court explaining what had happened.