SC refuses to pass order on listing of pleas by 17 disqualified MLAs of Karnataka

The Supreme Court refused to pass any order on Thursday on listing of petitions filed by 17 disqualified MLAs of Karnataka challenging the decision of the then speaker to disqualify them from the Assembly.

"It (petitions) will come up. What is the urgency?," a bench headed by Justice N V Ramana told the counsel appearing for the disqualified MLAs.

The counsel mentioned the matter before the bench and said the pleas were listed for hearing on September 11 but later deleted from the list.

The lawyer said the matter is scheduled to be listed for hearing on September 16, and it should not be deleted again.

The bench, while refusing to pass any order for listing of the pleas, said it would come up in the due course.

The then Assembly speaker, K R Ramesh Kumar, had disqualified 17 MLAs which eventually led to fall of the JD (S)-Congress coalition government headed by then chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Kumaraswamy had resigned as the chief minister after losing the trust vote and paved the way for BJP-led government in the state under B S Yediyurappa.

These disqualified MLAs have approached the apex court challenging Kumar's decision to disqualify them.

Some of these disqualified MLAs have alleged in their pleas in the top court that decision taken by Kumar before his resignation as Speaker was wholly illegal, arbitrary and mala fide exercise of his power under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

They have also questioned Kumar's decision to reject their resignations by holding that it was not voluntary and genuine.