Karnataka rebel MLAs move SC against disqualification order

New Delhi: Two rebel Congress MLAs and one independent MLA, disqualified by former Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking to have their disqualification set aside. They also challenged Kumar’s decision to reject their resignations. These petitions may be mentioned urgently for an early hearing.

Disqualification under the antidefection law stands in the way of their holding ministerial posts in the government of BS Yediyurappa unless they go and get themselves re-elected.

These MLAs had moved the SC in the first instance to urge the court to prevail upon Kumar to accept their resignations.


A bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had imposed a restraint order on Kumar asking him not to deal with either the disqualifications or the resignations. Eventually after hearing the former Speaker, the bench left Kumar free to decide on the resignations and disqualifications after the trust vote played itself out.