Will follow constitutional principles, says Karnataka speaker

Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court decision putting the onus on him to decide on the resignations of rebel MLAs, and said he would conduct himself responsibly in accordance with the principles of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court said the 15 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs of the state's ruling coalition "ought not" to be compelled to take part in the proceedings of the Karnataka Assembly, which is slated to decide the confidence motion moved by the H D Kumaraswamy-led state government on Thursday.

"With utmost humility I welcome and respect the Supreme Court decision," Kumar said soon after the apex court pronounced its order on the issue of resignations of the lawmakers that has pushed the state into political turmoil.

"The SC has put extra burden on me, I will conduct myself responsibly in accordance with constitutional principle," he told reporters in Kolar, his home town.

A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also said the speaker is free to decide on the resignations of the rebel legislators within the time-frame decided by him.

The court further said the speaker's decision be put before it.