Karnataka disqualified MLAs case: Speaker asks SC to set up guidelines for such matters

Karnataka assembly speaker on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to set up guidelines for dealing with matters such as the disqualification of 17 MLAs in the state.

A bench headed by Justice N V Ramna was hearing the case of 17 disqualified Karnataka Assembly MLAs, who had moved the Apex Court seeking an interim order or direction to allow them permission to contest in the bypolls.

Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for Karnataka Speaker's office, told the Supreme Court that the Apex Court should lay down guidelines for the speaker to deal with such situations.

The speaker told the court that it is not taking any sides in the plea pertaining to the disqualification of the MLAs by his predecessor and plead the court to adjudicate and frame some guidelines for the speaker to deal such instances.

The apex court will continue hearing the matter tomorrow.

The Election Commission (EC) had, on Monday, told the court that the former MLAs can contest the bypolls despite them being disqualified from the assembly.

"Elections should not be stayed. The state Speaker can disqualify but can't deprive the ex-MLAs of contesting the elections," the commission had submitted.

The 17 MLAs were disqualified in July by then speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and barred from contesting polls for the duration of the assembly, which ends in 2023. It had led to the fall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in the state headed by the then chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.

The by-elections in Karnataka will take place along with the one-phase assembly election of Maharashtra and Haryana on October 21.