I welcome the decision of spreaker to disqualify 14 MLAs. This honest decision of speaker will send strong signals… https://t.co/wIqRpbscOn — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) 1564299467000

14 Atrupta MLAs of Congress & JDS are disqualified until 2023. This is a bold and great move by the speaker of Kar… https://t.co/nKiuuB7DTI — Janata Dal Secular (@JanataDal_S) 1564303824000

BENGALURU: Karnataka assembly speaker K R Ramesh Kumar on Sunday disqualified 14 more rebel MLAs under the anti-defection act till the end of the current term of the assembly in 2023.All the disqualified MLAs cannot contest elections until the expiry of the term of the 15th Legislative Assembly. The speaker's ruling came a day ahead of chief minister B S Yediyurappa moving the confidence motion in the assembly to prove his majority, after assuming office on Friday."I have used my judicial conscience," said Kumar, who had earlier disqualified three Congress rebel MLAs on Thursday and said he would make the pronouncement of his decision in the remaining cases in a "couple of days.""They had sought a time of four weeks. We had given notice to them but they did not come and meet me," Kumar told reporters at a press conference. "The respondents hence cease to be members of this assembly with immediate effect till the end of the 15th Legislative Assembly," the speaker added.Kumar said that his decision was based on the resignations and pleas filed by both Congress and JD(S). When asked about a view that 10th schedule doesn't bar disqualified members from contesting collections, the speaker said it is for courts to decide.The speaker justified his pronouncing the order swiftly just a day before the session, saying he had do it in view of the assembly meeting on Monday, where the "specific agenda" was to take up the motion of confidence and pass the crucial appropriation bill.On the move by the BJP to subject him to the no-confidence motion, the speaker said, "let it come. You will see how I will behave. I will be in the chair...I will discharge my duties...let's see what happens.."On the disqualification issue, he said, "this cannot be a drama and manipulation" and asserted that he had conducted himself in a "gentlemanly manner" in dealing with the matter. He said he had also received a complaint against expelled BSP MLA Mahesh, who skipped the trust vote process on Tuesday violating a directive from the party to vote for the Kumaraswamy government.On Thursday, three rebel Congress MLAs — R Shankar, Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kumathalli were disqualified by the Speaker, stating that they have "incurred disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution (anti-defection law) and the disqualification would last till the end of the term of the assembly May 23, 2023." These MLAs are barred from contesting the by-elections as well.The BJP slammed the Speaker's action, calling it "unfair and violative of the law" which, it said, had been taken "yielding to the pressure from a party"."It is a motivated and defective order," said senior BJP leader Govind Karjol, adding, the rebels would challenge it in the Supreme Court, where they were certain to "get justice."The MLAs had quit on their own and their resignations should have been accepted, Karjol said.Karnataka Congress welcomed the Speaker's decision to disqualify the rebel MLAs."The court of the public will also give the appropriate punishment to these legislators who have betrayed their parties and people who voted them by joining hands with BJP to bring down the coalition government," the party tweeted.Congress Legislature Party leader Siddarmaiah, in a tweet, termed the Speaker's decision as "a victory for democracy"."I believe this decision will put an end to the shabby culture of selling oneself by disregarding the public mandate for selfish motives and the greed for power," he said.JD(S) too, in a tweet, welcoming the Speaker's decision, said, "the Speaker has sent a strong message to those who tried to uproot democracy by disqualifying legislators who fell for allurements of power and money, disregarded public mandate and violated the party whip."A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in its order on Wednesday last gave the Assembly Speaker the freedom to decide on the resignation of the 15 MLAs within such time-frame as considered appropriate by him.It had also ruled that the rebel MLAs cannot be compelled to attend the assembly proceedings.The Congress and the JD(S) had sought disqualification under the anti-defection law of the rebel lawmakers who, however, were undeterred by it and skipped the assembly proceedings during the crucial confidence vote Tuesday.76-year old Yediyurappa was sworn in as Chief Minister for a fourth time on Friday in a sudden twist to the protracted high voltage political drama with a big challenge to manage numbers staring him in the face.Shortly after taking the oath, Yediyurappa had said he would move a motion of confidence in the assembly on July 29 to prove his majority, apparently confident of winning it with the expectation that 16 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs may abstain as they did on Tuesday last, giving him the edge.He took the oath, two days after the Congress-JD(S) coalition government crumbled under the weight of a rebellion by a big chunk of its lawmakers, 20 of whom were absent for the voting that led to the defeat of its trust vote by 99-105.With the MLAs' disqualification, Yediyurappa is expected to have a smooth sail in the Assembly on Monday.(With inputs from agencies)