Bengaluru: Today will be the D-Day for the 17 disqualified MLAs from the state with Supreme Court taking up their petition against the former Speaker’s ruling disqualifying them from contesting the election till 2023.
Former Karnataka speaker KR Ramesh Kumar had disqualified these 17 MLAs (14 from Congress and 3 from the JDS) for violating the whip of the respective party heads just before the resignation of former CM HD Kumaraswamy. Ramesh Kumar barred all these MLAs from contesting in any election till 2023.
The disqualified MLAs had moved the Supreme Court against the former Speaker’s ruling. Their contention is that as they have already tendered resignation to the party and MLA posts, the provisions of the anti-defection law won’t be applicable to them.
Delay in the hearing of their appeal had led to resentment among the disqualified MLAs who now feel let down by the BJP high command.
