Legislative Council Chairman to serve notice on five BJP MLCs

BJP got two of its MLCs to file a petition against the five on January 29 seeking their disqualification. In the absence of Shankaramurthy, who was on tour, they submitted it to Council Secretary V Shreesh.

Replying to repeated questions on when he would take action on the petitions, Shankaramurthy, addressing the customary press conference here ahead of the session starting Monday, said there were well laid out procedures and rules in such matters and he would abide by them. There is no time-frame for his decision.

He said he would serve a notice on the five -- Bharati Shetty, B J Puttaswamy, Shivaraj Sajjan, Mohan Limbikai and Mumtaz Ali Khan, to reply to the petition, filed by Ashwathnararayana and Somanna Bevinamarad.

The Chairman said he would be fair and take a reasonable time. "I will not be in a hurry".

Meanwhile, Speaker of the Assembly K G Bopaiah did not hold his customary press conference ahead of the session.

Bopaiah had come under severe criticism from the Yeddyurappa camp for not being present in his office when 13 MLAs went there to submit their resignation letters on January 23.

And on January 29, 12 MLAs backing Yeddyurappa had accused the Speaker of "delaying" acceptance of their resignation letters after they met him and charged him with being under the "control of government".