Disqualified MLAs set to move Supreme Court today

Bengaluru, July 26: The rebel MLAs, who were disqualified by Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar will head to the Supreme Court now.

The late night announcement added to the uncertainty even as the BJP made hectic parleys on Thursday to form the next government in the state. The go ahead for the BJP to form the government in Karnataka has not yet come and on Thursday, party leaders from the state held discussions with the central leadership.

The Speaker announcers that he was disqualifying Congress MLAs, Ramesh Jarkiholi, and Mahesh Kumathahalli. The Speaker also disqualified independent R Shankar, who had recently joined the Congress before his induction as a minister in the H D Kumaraswamy led government.

The disqualification would mean that under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, they will not be able to contest the elections until May 23 2023, when the tenure of the present assembly ends.

The MLAs are likely to move the Supreme Court today itself. The court it may be recalled had on Thursday allowed the withdrawal of two petitions filed by the independent MLAs, who had sought a directive to Kumaraswamy to take the trust vote.