New Delhi/Bengaluru, Nov 13 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the disqualification of 17 Karnataka MLAs but allowed them to contest in elections.
In July this year, then Karnataka Assembly Speaker K Ramappa Ramesh Kumar disqualified 17 rebel MLAs for remaining absent during the floor test of the then chief minister and senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy. The defiance of the MLAs led to the fall of the Indian National Congress-JDS coalition government. Subsequently, the Bharatiya Janata Party formed the government in the state but due to its wafer-thin majority, it was on tenterhooks.
The Speaker’s decision was challenged in the apex court. A three-judge bench of justices N V Ramana, Sanjiv Khanna and Krishna Murari on Wednesday held that if elected in the bypolls, the disqualified MLAs could become ministers or hold public office.
More UNI Team PS RP1832/1921