Can't be directed to decide on resignations of MLAs within a time-frame: Speaker to SC

Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar Tuesday told the Supreme Court that he, being a constitutional functionary, cannot be directed to first decide on the resignations of rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs, that too within a particular time frame.

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy questioned the jurisdiction of the apex court in entertaining the pleas of 15 rebel MLAs, who are seeking a direction to the Speaker to accept their resignations, and said these lawmakers are "hunting in a pack" to bring down the government.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the Speaker, told a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that disqualification applications against these MLAs were moved prior to their resignations and the Speaker was well within his right to choose his course of action.

Singhvi urged the bench, also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose, to modify its earlier interim order directing him to maintain the status quo in the ongoing political crisis in the state.

He said the Speaker can decide on both disqualifications and resignation of these MLAs by Wednesday but the court should modify its earlier order asking him to maintain status quo.

"Nobody is saying that Speaker is not fallible but he cannot be asked to decide the matter in a time-bound manner," he told the bench. "How can the Speaker be directed to decide in a particular manner?. Such orders are not passed even to a trial court."