Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on July 28 disqualified the remaining 14 rebel MLAs effective under the anti-defection law. This means, that they will be barred from the legislative assembly for the rest of the term, which ends in 2023.
The Speaker's ruling came a day ahead of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa moving the confidence motion in the assembly to prove his majority, after assuming office on July 26.
Of the lawmakers who faced the action, 11 are from the Congress and three from JDS.
The disqualified MLAs from Congress are Pratapgouda Patil, BC Patil, ST Somashekar, Shivaram Hebbar, BA Basavaraja, Anand Singh, R Roshan Baig, Munirathna Naidu, K Sudhakar, MTB Nagaraj and Shrimanth Patil.
Besides, AH Vishwanath, KC Narayana Gowda and K Gopalaiah from JD(S) were disqualified.
Speaker Ramesh Kumar said that his decision was based on the resignations and petitions filed by the Congress and the JD(S).
He said, "The way I was being pressured to make the decision under circumstances has pushed me into a sea of depression."
When I disqualified the three MLAs, I said that I will take the decision about the rest of the petitions in two days time. I have done that," Speaker Ramesh Kumar added.
These decisions, he said, were taken in cognizance of previous cases related to disqualifications. "So I'm disqualifying them based on 21(A) of Schedule 10 of the
On July 25, Speaker Ramesh Kumar had disqualified three rebel MLAs on grounds that their resignations were not voluntary.
The Congress and the JDS, whose government collapsed on July 23 after a rebellion by a section of their MLAs, had petitioned the Speaker to disqualify their errant members.
What now?
Speaker Ramesh Kumar told media persons that all the members of the assembly will have to attend the session convened on July 29 with two specific agenda –"Vote of confidence motion by the Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and subsequently discuss and vote on appropriation bill".
"Appropriation Bill or finance bill should be passed by July 31, 2019 pending which the government will come to a stand still," he cautioned.
The bill authorises expenditure of government including salaries for government employees. There have been reports that the BJP-led government will also move vote of confidence against the speaker after winning the vote of confidence motion and passing the finance bill.
After the disqualification, total number of seats in the assembly stands at 207. BJP will need 105 seats to prove majority, which it has, at least for now. Because it will be equally important for the BJP to win by-elections in these 17 constituencies.
It is also unclear if the JD(S) will extend outside support to BJP on July 29.
Of the 17, BJP needs to win in at least eight to have the required majority of 113 in the assembly. The absence of which will again put the government in disarray, with mid-term elections looming.
According to a political analyst, it is unlikely to happen. "In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP swept the polls and it is still fresh in people's mind. So they are most likely to win majority even in bypolls," he added.
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