HC to pronounce verdict on Ind MLAs disqualification on Monday

Bangalore, Feb 11 (PTI) The Karnataka High Court willon February 14 pronounce its order on the writ petition byfive Independent MLAs who had challenged Assembly Speaker K GBopaiah''s order disqualifying them under the Anti-DefectionLaw.

A full bench, comprising justices A S Bopanna, MohanShantanagoudar and S Abdul Nazeer, had on February 1 reservedits orders after concluding hearing from both parties.

P M Narendraswamy, Venkataramanappa, Gulihatti Sekhar,D Sudhakara and Shivaraj Tangadagi were disqualified byBopaiah on October 10, a day before Chief Minister B SYeddyurappa sought the vote of confidence, which he won.

The five legislators, along with 11 BJP rebel MLAs,had earlier withdrawn support to the Yeddyurappa government bysubmitting a letter to Governor H R Bhardwaj.

The Speaker had passed the composite order on separatewrit petitions by two BJP MLAs C T Ravi and D N Jeevaraj, whois also Chief Whip of BJP legislature party, and one votereach from five Assembly constituencies represented by the fiveMLAs, seeking their disqualification.

The MLAs contested the disqualification order on theground that they were not BJP members and remainedindependents.

But the ruling BJP had maintained that they had joinedBJP and attended its legislature party meetings and hence werepart and parcel of the party.