Two disqualified K'taka Congress MLAs move SC against Speaker's decision

Two of the disqualified Karnataka Congress legislators, Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kumathalli, on Monday approached the Supreme Court challenging former Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar's decision to bar them for the term of the present Assembly.

The plea filed by the two MLAs sought directions to set aside the July 25 order of Kumar rejecting the resignations tendered by them.

They said they are aggrieved by the "wholly illegal, arbitrary and mala fide action" of the Kumar in disqualifying them.

The duo, in their plea, said there is no doubt that the resignations are voluntary and genuine.

"It is pertinent to state that the Petitioners have also filed affidavits before this court in the earlier proceedings stating that they have resigned voluntarily and their resignations may be accepted. And yet the Speaker has rejected the resignations submitted by the Petitioners on wholly extraneous grounds. The Impugned Order is completely arbitrary and unreasonable and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India read with Article 190," the plea read.

It sought direction to call for the records of the proceedings before the Speaker pertaining to the resignation and disqualification proceedings against them.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, earlier today, won the vote of confidence in the Karnataka Assembly, while the Speaker (Kumar) resigned from the post shortly after.

Yediyurappa, who was sworn in as Chief Minister on Friday after the fall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government, sailed through comfortably with a voice vote after the strength of the Assembly was brought down by the Speaker disqualifying 14 MLAs on Sunday.

Moving the trust vote, the chief minister promised not to indulge in vindictive politics and said he believes in "forget and forgive".

Soon after Yediyurappa's trust vote victory, the Speaker resigned from his post amidst reports that the BJP was planning to move for his removal.

Currently, there are 105 BJP members supported by an Independent. Congress and JD(S) combine have 100 members in the 225-member House. The majority mark stands at 104, after 17 MLAs were disqualified by Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar under the anti-defection law.