K’taka crisis: Can’t force rebel MLAs to participate in trust vote: says SC

New Delhi, Jul 17 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday said rebel Karnataka MLAs cannot be forced to participate in the floor test, to be faced by Congress-JD (S) government tomorrow.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, said the rebel MLAs cannot be compelled to sit in the House during proceedings. In effect, they will not be disqualified if they do not obey their party whip during the trust vote taken by the HD Kumaraswamy government.
The Apex Court also said that Karnataka Assembly Speaker cannot be compelled to take a decision within a limited time frame with respect to resignations of 15 rebel MLAs.
It also said that larger question raised in the case on the role of Speaker could be answered at later stage but interim order is required to maintain Constitutional balance.
The Top Court yesterday heard detailed arguments from senior lawyer Mukul Rohatagi, appearing for 15 rebel MLAs, Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi for Speaker, and Dr Rajeev Dhawan for Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.
The rebel MLAs had told the Apex Court that the Congress-JD(S) coalition government has lost majority and Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar by keeping their resignations hanging is attempting to prolong a Government which has been reduced to minority.