Karnataka Speaker declines to comment on SC strictures

Bangalore, May 15: Karnataka Assembly Speaker KG Bopaiah today (May 15) declined to react to the critical observations made against him by Supreme Court while quashing his order disqualifying 11 BJP and five independent MLAs.

"No comments. I have no comments. I don't want to comment," he told reporters here when asked for his reaction to the strictures passed against him by the Supreme Court.

Setting aside Bhopaiah's order disqualifying the 16 MLAs ahead of the controversial October 2010 no trust motion, a Division Bench of the court had on Many 13 said the Speaker acted in "hot haste" to favour Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

On the demand by opposition Congress and JDS for his resignation in the wake of the apex court rapping him, Bopaiah said "let God bless them".

He also refused to answer another question about Governor H R Bhardwaj's comment that the Speaker did not follow his advise not to alter the strength of the house during the vote of confidence taken by Yeddyurappa after the 16 MLAs withdrew support to his government.

"I don't want to talk lightly about the Governor. It is our duty to respect him," Bopaiah said.

The Supreme Court had observed that the Speaker passed the disqualification orders in a haste and did not follow the principles of natural justice and fair play.

PTI