BJP leader Mallikarjun Savkaar on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to allow disqualified MLAs to contest the upcoming by-elections in the state.
Speaking to ANI, Savkaar said, "The Supreme court has allowed the 17 disqualified MLAs to fight the election. I welcome the judgment of the Supreme Court. I welcome that those 17 MLAs are allowed to contest the by-polls."
The rebel legislators were disqualified by the then speaker KR Ramesh Kumar in July under the anti-defection law after they tendered their resignation.
They were also barred from contesting polls for the duration of the current Assembly, which is slated to end in 2023.
The move had led to falling of the Congress-JD (S) coalition government, paving way for BJP to stake claim to form a new government in the state.
While the SC upheld the decision of the speaker to disqualify the MLAs, it quashed his decision to bar them from contesting elections till 2023.
The apex court's judgment is expected to have a bearing on the polls for 15 out of 17 seats that are scheduled to be held on Dec 5.
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