SC to hear K’taka MLAs’ plea to defer Assembly bypolls

The Supreme Court on October 25 reserved its verdict on petitions filed by the 17 Karnataka MLAs, challenging their disqualification from the assembly ahead of the trust vote by the then HD Kumaraswamy government.

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a fresh plea by rebel MLAs from Karnataka, requesting the court to defer the Assembly bypolls scheduled to take place on December 5 till the court pronounces its verdict on their petition challenging their disqualification.

Supreme Court of India (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

A bench led by Justice NV Ramana allowed listing of the petition on an oral mentioning by lawyer, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the disqualified MLAs. The bench said the application would be taken up on November 13 and ordered the registry to list the same subject to curing of defects by the petitioner. A direction was issued to the rebel MLAs to serve a copy of their application to the other side as well.

The top court on October 25 reserved its verdict on petitions filed by the 17 MLAs, challenging their disqualification from the assembly ahead of the trust vote by the then HD Kumaraswamy government.

Rohatgi mentioned the application and said the bypolls for Assembly seats are fixed for December 5 and as per the Election Commission’s requirement the candidates have to file their nomination papers between November 11 and November 18. Rohatgi contended his clients will not be able to file their nomination due to the disqualification order by the then Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar and that the bypolls should be postponed till apex court delivers its ruling on the petitions.

Earlier, the Election Commission had postponed the bypolls, which were scheduled on October 21, to December 5 in view of the pendency of the petitions filed by the disqualified lawmakers.