Karnataka crisis lives on another day: All action shifts to legislative session, Supreme Court

Bengaluru, July 11: The Karnataka crisis continues to drag on. The Speaker of the legislative assembly who met with the rebel MLAs said that he would need more time before he can decide on the resignations.

This would mean that he would go through the resignations and only accept them if he is convinced. The matter will now be back in the Supreme Court, which will hear the case as the Speaker, Ramesh Kumar is supposed to convey his decision.

The Supreme Court which had directed the Speaker to meet the MLAs today at 6 pm also said that he should convey to them his decision on Friday.

Meanwhile there is more drama expected on Friday as the winter session of the assembly will be held tomorrow. The Congress has issued a whip to all its MLAs to be present as there are Finance Bills that need to be passed.
Violating a whip would amount to disqualification and it is to be seen whether the MLAs would take that risk.

The MLAs have been pushing for their resignations to be accepted. In case the same is accepted they can seek a fresh election. However if they are disqualified, they cannot come back until the term of the current assembly is over.

Kumar while addressing a presser after meeting with the MLAs said that the resignations today were in the prescribed format. I however told them to give their arguments in writing, following which I will issue a notice and study the same.

He said that I will give them a hearing and also try to understand whether the resignation is voluntary or not. I have to be satisfied, before I take any decision. The court said whatever you want to do, you do so and convey it. I will do the same, Kumar also said.

The Speaker said during his meeting with the MLAs, they told him that they felt threatened and hence they went too Mumbai. I told them that they should have come to me, if they felt so, Kumar also said.