The Supreme Court on Friday ordered that a floor test be held in the Karnataka Assembly at 4 pm tomorrow to ascertain whether newly appointed BJP Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa enjoys majority in the state. "Let the House decide and the best course would be floor test," a three judge bench headed by Justice A K Sikri said. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Chief Minister, had sought reasonable time till Monday for the floor test but the bench, also comprising Justices S A Bobde and Ashok Bhushan, ordered it for tomorrow.
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BJP MLA Preetham Gowda says he is in touch with JD(S) MLAs so that they support Yeddyurappa in floor test.
JDS leader Kumaraswamy said that two of their MLAs have been hijacked by BJP.
Lawyers representing Congress side reach the Registrar Office of Supreme Court, seeking an urgent hearing on the appointment of KG Bopaiah as pro-tem speaker of Karnataka assembly: ANI
"We are in the Shangri-La hotel for the legislature meeting. We have the majority. More than what we expected. Our workers are really happy": BS Yeddyurappa, CM of Karnataka.
BJP MLAs to stay at Shangri-La Hotel in Bengaluru tonight; will leave for Vidhan Sabha tomorrow straight from the hotel.
- We will be able to inform you in a short while. Yes, the option of going back to Court is open: Randeep Surjewala, Congress on if Congress will challenge BJP MLA KG Bopaiah's appointment as pro tem Speaker. (ANI)
- All 104 elected BJP MLAs asked to meet at party office in Bengaluru by 7 pm.
- Appointment of KG Bopaiah as pro tem Speaker violates constitutional traditions and parliamentary pratices: Randeep Surjewala
- K G Bopaiah has a tainted history. Bopaiah was trying to defeat the floor test so that Yeddyurappa remains the CM: Randeep Surjewala
- The Governor Vajubhai Vala has once again launched an encounter on the Constitution by appointing K G Bopaiah as pro tem Speaker instead of the senior most MLA: Randeep Surjewala
- The Governor Vajubhai Vala has once again launched an encounter on the Constitution by appointing KG Bopaiah as pro tem Speaker instead of the senior most MLA: Randeep Surjewala, Congress.
- 'KG Bopaiah was appointed as Pro Tem speaker even in 2008 by the then Governor. That time Bopaiah was 10 years younger than what he is today. Congress is thus raising hoax objection. The appointment of Bopaiah Ji is as per rules and regulations: Prakash Javadekar, BJP (ANI)
- Rajashekhar Patil is back in Congress, he left the resort citing health reasons
- Karnataka Governor appoints BJP MLA KG Bopaiah as pro-tem speaker ahead of floor test tomorrow.
The number game:
The JD-S had won 38 seats along with its ally BSP, while the Congress won 78 seats, the BJP emerged as the single-largest party winning 104 seats in the May 12 election to the Karnataka state assembly which has a total strength of 224. Elections to 2 seats were deferred. In all, voting took place for 222 seats.
Of these 222 seats JD-S has won 38 seats. Its leader H D Kumaraswamy contested from two seats and won from both. Under the rules, he has to vacate one seat and due to this the total number in the House will go down from 222 to 221.
The magic half-way figure for a simple majority then will be 111 and not 112 in a House of 221 members. The BJP has 104 seats. However, the story does not end here. If 10 MLAs of the JD-S and Congress remain absent or abstain from voting during floor test, then the simple majority figure which BJP would require in that scenario would be 106 seats out of 211 members. BJP already has 104!
If BJP manages to get the support of two independent MLAs then it will meet the magic figure of 106 and can prove its majority and easily form the government.
This calculation has been made on the presumption that 10 non-BJP MLAs would remain absent or abstain from voting. Besides, to conduct the work in the assembly, a temporary speaker known as the pro tem speaker is appointed till a permanent speaker is chosen. By convention, the senior most member of the House is chosen as the pro tem speaker. It is believed that in the current House, the senior most member happens to be R V Deshpande of the Congress party. The pro tem speaker administers the oath of office to the newly-elected MLAs, oversees the election of Speaker and in the case of a tie even casts the deciding vote. But Governor Vajubhai Vala has chosen BJP MLA KG Bopaiah as the pro tem speaker. This will be a curious situation to watch.
- 8 MLAs of the Congress are in touch with the BJP: Sources
#FloorTest
During the last high-voltage hearing, which lasted from 2.11 AM to 5.28 AM, the top court made it clear that the swearing-in and government formation would be subject to the final outcome of the case.
The court directed the Centre to place before it two communications sent by Yeddyurappa to the Governor in which he had staked claim to form the government.
It issued notices to Karnataka government and Yeddyurappa seeking their replies on the plea filed by Congress-JD (S) combine and posted the matter for hearing today at 10.30 AM.
(With inputs from Agencies)