Karnataka Political Crisis: Chief Minister Kumaraswamy To Move SC For Stay On Floor Test

Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will move the Supreme Court for a stay on Governor Vajubhai Vala's order to prove majority in the Assembly by 1.30 p.m. on Friday, said an official.

HD Kumaraswamy

  Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will move the Supreme Court for a stay on Governor Vajubhai Vala's order to prove majority in the Assembly by 1.30 p.m. on Friday, said an official. "The Chief Minister's counsel will move the Supreme Court on Friday for a stay on the Governor's Thursday's order asking him to prove majority by 1.30 p.m.," ruling JD-S spokesman Ramesh Babu told IANS here. The ruling Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) allies will also petition the apex court against the Governor's order as the Chief Minister had already moved the confidence motion on Thursday and initiated the debate on it for the floor test.

Karnataka Congress MP, Nasir Hussain: I think the Congress party will go to Supreme Court because Governor cannot interfere in the matter of Speaker, he has no right to do it. Governor is arbitrarily interfering and trying to work as agent of a party. #KarnatakaFloorTest pic.twitter.com/Ha8Bvb7lXo

— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2019

"The Governor is interfering in the working of the legislative Assembly, which is the domain of the Speaker under the provisions of the Contitutions," Babu said. After observing that resignation of 15 ruling combine MLAs and withdrawal of support by two independents "prima facie" indicated he has lost the confidence of the House, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala on Thursday asked Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to prove his majority in the state assembly before 1.30 pm on Friday. The Governor's direction to Kumarraswamy came after a delegation of opposition BJP leaders called on him and requested him to direct the speaker to conduct the vote of confidence on Thursday itself, amid fears by the party that the ruling coalition was trying to prolong the debate and buy time to shore up numbers. "Though a message as contemplated under article 175 (2) is sent to the Speaker, I'm informed that the House is adjourned today (Thursday). Under these circumstances, I request you to prove your majority on the floor of the House on or before 1:30 PM tomorrow (Friday)," Vala has said in a letter to Kumaraswamy.