Rohatgi apologises to SC for his absence during hearing in Karnataka rebel MLAs' plea

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who is representing rebel MLAs from Karnataka, on Friday, apologised to the Supreme Court for being absent during the hearing despite being asked by the bench.

The Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had asked all the senior counsel to be present on Thursday so that he can pass an order in Karnataka rebel MLAs' plea for withdrawal of their petition.

The two-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi duly accepted the Rohatgi's apology.

The court on Wednesday said it will pass an appropriate order and dispose of the petitions moved by two Karnataka Independent MLAs with respect to the floor test in the Assembly after the Congress-JD(S) government lost the trust vote, only in the presence of the counsels -- Mukul Rohatgi (for rebel MLAs) and Abhishek Manu Singhvi (for Congress).

During the course of the proceedings, the Chief Justice pulled up Mukul Rohatgi, the counsel for the rebel lawmakers, for his absence from the courtroom for the second consecutive day.

The top court had adjourned the matter over his absence, yesterday.

"When the court wants counsel to be present, he is not present. But, when he wants an urgent listing he is present 11 pm, wants midnight hearing at 2 am, 3 am and what not...," the court said.

The apex court was hearing the petition filed by two Independent MLAs -- H Nagesh and R Shankar -- seeking a direction to conclude the floor test in the state Assembly.