Not afraid to go to people, disqualified Karnataka MLAs tell SC

New Delhi, Sep 25: Hearing on the batch of petitions filed by the disqualified MLAs from Karnataka commenced in the Supreme Court today.

At the start of the hearing the rebels sought to make the Election Commission of India a party in the petition and filed applications to this effect. This was done after the EC had said that these MLAs, disqualified by the Speaker should be allowed to contest the upcoming by-elections in Karnataka.

While Mukul Rohatgi is arguing for the rebels, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta is appearing for the office of the Speaker. Rohatgi told the court that the MLAs are not scared to go back to the people. Let the people decide how they have conducted themselves when there is no bar on submitting their resignations, when disqualification petitions are pending, he also said.

On the other hand, senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and Dinesh Gundu Rao will argue tomorrow.

The EC had said that the rebels could contest the elections pending the order of the Supreme Court.

17 rebels, 14 from the Congress and 3 from the JD(S) have challenged the order of the former speaker, Ramesh Kumar who had disqualified them.

In the wake of these submissions, the BJP has already started finalising the names of the candidates and in all likelihood field the rebels for the upcoming by-elections. The last date to file the nominations is September 30.

Hearing on the matter would continue tomorrow.