Karnataka crisis: Cong leaders speak in divergent voices on SC verdict

Congress leaders Wednesday spoke in divergent voices on the Supreme Court verdict in the Karnataka crisis, with chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala saying it's a "terrible precedent" but his colleague Abhishek Singhvi claiming victory.

The Supreme Court said 15 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs in Karnataka "ought not" to be compelled to participate in the proceedings of the ongoing session of the Assembly, virtually sounding the death knell for the coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy.

The court at the same time gave Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar the freedom to decide on the resignation of the 15 MLAs within such time-frame as considered appropriate by him.

Addressing the official press briefing, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the party has emerged victorious as 90 per cent of its arguments during the trial were accepted by the top court.

"We are happy as a political party that we have emerged victorious," Singhvi, also a senior lawyer who appeared for the Karnataka Assembly Speaker in the case, told reporters outside Parliament.

"I welcome the Supreme Court to have given a decision as per the Constitution and law," he said accusing the BJP of "spreading misinformation and false propaganda".

"Ninety per cent of the case argued says the speaker should decide in x number of days. Honourable court says we should not fetter the Speaker in any case. The SC has said the Speaker can decide what he likes, when he likes and hence the Speaker will decide. Where is the question of acting on a whip which has not been issued yet?" he asked.

His colleague and the party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, however, gave divergent views.

"SC's order nullifying the whip & by extension, operation of Constitution's Xth Schedule to punish MLAs betraying the public mandate, sets a terrible judicial precedent!"
Singhvi separately said that on the basis of these petitions, the Speaker can accept or reject the resignation within his jurisdiction. "The decision will be entirely of the Speaker, in which the court refused to intervene."