Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar told the Supreme Court on Friday that he was constitutionally bound to decide on the disqualification petitions before he takes a call on the resignation letters. He also alleged that the legislators had resigned to avoid disqualification.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi took up Kumar’s request over his decision on the resignation letters by rebel legislators.

Kumar on Thursday rushed back to the top court to underscore that he could meet the Congress and Janata Dal Secular rebel lawmakers in line with the top court’s ruling but may not be able to spell out his decision that day itself.

The speaker argued that the he needed time to verify if the resignations tendered by the MLAs were voluntary or forced. He argued that such an inquiry could not be completed in such a short notice.

Also Read| ‘Should I have worked at lightning speed?’ Karnataka Speaker on resignations

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6:20 PM IST ‘BJP uses money to topple Governments’: Congress’ Rahul Gandhi Rahul Gandhi while addressing the media said that BJP had done something similar in northeast India, according to ANI. Rahul Gandhi on political developments in Karnataka: BJP uses money to bring down state Govts, they have been doing that. We saw that in the North east as well. pic.twitter.com/gqEav98XeU — ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2019





5:00 PM IST ‘We’re confident, hence we are moving vote of confidence motion’: Congress LP and former CM Siddaramaiah The former Karnataka CM said that the BJP is scared because there are black sheep amidst the BJP, according to ANI.





3:51 PM IST Karnataka rebel MLAs visit Siddhivinayak Temple ST Somshekar, BC Patil, S Hebbar and B Basavaraj visit the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai Karnataka rebel MLAs (from Lto R) BC Patil, B Basavaraj, S Hebbar, and ST Somashekhar worship at the Siddhivinayak Temple. ( HTPhotos )





3:21 pm IST Our decision is final, there is no going back: Rebel Congress leader BC Patil Rebel Congress leader BC Patil outside Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati Temple in Mumbai: We will abide by the Supreme Court order. Our decision is final, there is no going back. Rebel Congress leader BC Patil outside Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati Temple in #Mumbai: We will abide by the Supreme Court order. Our decision is final, there is no going back. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/xAvMGWTetV — ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2019





2:58 pm IST Karnataka: Congress to move its MLAs to Clarks Exotica Convention Resorts in Bengaluru Karnataka: Congress to move its MLAs to Clarks Exotica Convention Resorts in Bengaluru, after the Assembly proceedings today, reports ANI.





2:56 pm IST MLAs of all 3 parties likely to shift to resorts after CM expresses willingness for a trust vote MLAs of all three parties likely to shift to resorts after CM HD Kumaraswamy expresses willingness for a trust vote.





2:55 pm IST CM said he won’t stick to his chair and that he’s ready for trust vote: Ramesh Kumar Speaker Ramesh Kumar: The chief minister said he won’t stick to his chair and that he’s ready for trust vote. I told him to give me one day notice and I will include it the next day. I can’t tell him when to ask. If MLAs don’t come today to meet me as per their appointment I will go back home. What can I do ?





1:35 pm IST HD Kumaraswamy seeks trust vote, asks Speaker to fix time Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday said he would seek a trust vote and asked Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar to fix the time for it, reports PTI. The embattled JD(S) leader also said he was ready for everything and that he was not here to cling to power.





1:17 pm IST I am seeking your permission and time to prove the majority in this session: Kumaraswamy in Vidhana Soudha Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy in Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru: After all these developments, I am seeking your permission and time to prove the majority in this session. Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy in Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru: After all these developments, I am seeking your permission & time to prove the majority in this session. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/olx8BZ90Xx — ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2019





1:15 pm IST Supreme Court directs Karnataka speaker to maintain status quo Supreme Court directs Karnataka speaker to maintain status quo as of Friday with regard to resignation and disqualification of 10 rebel MLAs, reports PTI.





1:05 pm IST Case not under Constitution’s 10th Schedule: Mukul Rohatgi Mukul Rohatgi, representing MLAs, says case not under Constitution’s 10th Schedule, speaker’s decision not immune from judicial scrutiny, reports PTI.





1:03 pm IST SC observes the case raises larger questions related to various constitutional provisions Supreme Court adjourned the matter in view of the statement made by the rebel MLAs’ lawyer that the speaker had on Thursday returned disqualification petitions moved against eight of the ten MLAs since they were not in the correct format. When asked to substantiate this claim, the lawyer could not place any document before the court. The court also observed that the case before it raises larger question related to various constitutional.provisions, including the kind of directions that can be issued by a constitutional court to a constitutional authority, in this case the speaker





1:00 pm IST Supreme Court to hear rebel MLAs petition on Tuesday Supreme Court to hear the rebel MLAs petition on Tuesday. Supreme Court Issues a status quo order, which means the speaker cannot decide either on the resignation or disqualification till the next hearing.





12:56 pm IST Disqualification proceedings have been filed against eight MLAs: Singhvi tells SC Disqualification proceedings have been filed against eight MLAs, Singhvi, counsel for Speaker, tells Supreme Cour, reports PTI.





12:55 pm IST Supreme Court order was passed without hearing other side, what can Speaker do in such situation: CM Supreme Court order was passed without hearing other side, what can Speaker do in such situation, asks CM, reports PTI.





12:54 pm IST Speaker has the responsibility to satisfy himself that resignations were voluntary: CM Speaker has the responsibility to satisfy himself that resignations were voluntary, CM to Supreme Court, reports PTI.





12:52 pm IST Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy argues before Supreme Court Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy argues before the Supreme Court. Submits the following: The other side are effectively seeking a mandamus from your lordship on the basis the speaker has not fulfilled his constitutional duty.. their version of constitutional duty is post office.. for them the constitutional provision is purely mechanical. What they want is not to be disqualified.. and your lordship has laid down that disqualification has to be decided first.





12:48 pm IST Order on resignations was passed by SC without issuing notice to speaker, alleges HD Kumaraswamy Order on resignations was passed by Supreme Court without issuing notice to speaker, alleges CM HD Kumaraswamy, reports PTI.





12:47 pm IST Speaker was not served copy of petition, plea was controverted by rebel MLAs: Singhvi to SC Speaker was not served copy of petition, plea was controverted by rebel MLAs, Abhishek Manu Singhvi to Supreme Court, reports PTI.





12:47 pm IST Speaker duty-bound and empowered to decide on disqualification of MLAs first: Abhishek Singhvi Speaker duty-bound and empowered to decide on disqualification of MLAs first, Singhvi tells Supreme Court, reports PTI.





12:46 pm IST Plea of MLAs should not have been entertained, CM tells Supreme Court Plea of MLAs should not have been entertained, CM tells Supreme Court, reports PTI.





12:44 pm IST MLAs have levelled corruption allegations and order was passed without hearing me: Karnataka CM MLAs in plea have levelled corruption allegations and order was passed without hearing me: Karnataka CM to Supreme Court, reports PTI.





12:43 pm IST Speaker says meeting was video graphed, shows MLAs have admitted they never gave resignation personally to him Speaker says MLAs handed over a fresh letter yesterday. The meeting was video graphed, shows the MLAs have admitted they never gave resignation personally to him, admitted never met him or sought any appointment to meet him. During enquiry they further admitted they reached his office much after he had left and thereafter never tried to meet him.





12:39 pm IST Speaker can’t be maligned, lampooned like this: Singhvi tells SC Speaker is very senior member of Assembly, he knows Constitutional law. He can’t be maligned, lampooned like this, Abhishek Manu Singhvi tells Supreme Court, reports PTI.





12:38 pm IST I am constitutionally obligated to decide on plea for disqualification of MLAs also: Speaker’s counsel I am constitutionally obligated to decide on plea for disqualification of MLAs also, Assembly speaker’s counsel tells Supreme Court, reports PTI.





12:36 pm IST Rebel MLAs say speaker questioned their move to approach Supreme Court Rebel MLAs say speaker questioned their move to approach Supreme Court and said “go to hell” to them in front of media, reports PTI.





12:34 pm IST Speaker can be given one or two days to decide on resignations: MLAs to SC Speaker can be given one or two days to decide on resignations. If he does not decide, contempt notice can be issued against him, MLAs to Supreme Court, reports PTI.





12:32 pm IST Dr Rajeev Dhavan, arguing for Karnataka CM, objects to the submissions of the rebel MLAs Hearing in the matter of Karnataka rebel MLAs: Dr Rajeev Dhavan, arguing for Karnataka CM, objects to the submissions of the rebel MLAs that the speaker has acted in a mala-fide manner, reports news agency ANI.





12:29 pm IST Speaker says petition filed by rebel MLAs cannot be entertained under Article 32 Speaker says the petition filed by rebel MLAs cannot be entertained under Article 32. His counsel submits the speaker is a seasoned politician and has studied the constitution well. Says a time-bound direction cannot be given to decide resignation. Claims he is obliged to decide the disqualification against the rebel MLAs first. Also alleges that the mlas have resigned to avoid the outcome of disqualification proceedings





12:28 pm IST Abhishek Manu Singhvi refers to provisions and says he holds constitutional post Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing in Supreme Court for Speaker, refers to provisions and says he holds constitutional post, reports PTI.





12:26 pm IST Does speaker have power to challenge SC order: CJI Ranjan Gogoi asks speaker’s counsel Does speaker have power to challenge Supreme Court’s order, CJI Ranjan Gogoi asks speaker’s counsel, reports PTI.





12:25 pm IST Speaker has not taken decision on resignations of 10 rebel Karnataka MLAs: Mukul Rohatgi Speaker has not taken decision on resignations of 10 rebel Karnataka MLAs, Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, counsel for lawmakers, tells Supreme Court, reports PTI.





12:23 pm IST ‘Speaker riding on two horses’, Karnataka rebel MLAs tell Supreme Court ‘Speaker riding on two horses’, Karnataka rebel MLAs tell Supreme Court





12:19 pm IST Speaker has no immunity with regard to acceptance of resignations, rebel MLAs tell Supreme Court Speaker has no immunity with regard to acceptance of resignations, rebel MLAs tell SC, reports PTI.





12:19 pm IST Abhishek Manu Singhvi argues that these MLAs’ intention in giving resignation is to avoid disqualification Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argues that these MLAs’ intention in giving resignation is something different, and it is to avoid disqualification, reports news agency ANI.





12:14 pm IST Mukul Rohatgi submits to SC that Speaker is answerable to this court, except under certain circumstances Hearing in the matter of Karnataka rebel MLAs: Mukul Rohatgi, rebel MLAs’ counsel, submits to the Supreme Court that the Speaker is answerable to this court, except under certain circumstances. He may not respond under certain sections and provisions, he is entitled exemption, reports news agency ANI.





12:12 pm IST Supreme Court commences hearing on plea of 10 rebel Karnataka MLAs Supreme Court commences hearing on plea of 10 rebel Karnataka MLAs seeking acceptance of their resignations by Assembly speaker, reports PTI.





12:09 pm IST Rebel MLAs ask SC to restrain Ramesh Kumar from going ahead with disqualification Rebel MLAs ask the Supreme Court to restrain the speaker of Karnataka assembly from going ahead with disqualification in case he asks for time to take a final decision on their resignations





12:01 pm IST Bengaluru: MLAs arrive at Vidhana Soudha as state assembly session begins today Bengaluru: MLAs arrive at Vidhana Soudha as the state assembly session begins today. Bengaluru: MLAs arrive at Vidhana Soudha as the state assembly session begins today. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/yQUEUAInLG — ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2019





11:47 am IST Both Congress and JD(S) have asked its lawmakers to be present in assembly today Both Congress and JD(S) have asked its lawmakers to be present in assembly today even as the BJP is playing ‘wait and watch’.





11:39 am IST We will give a whip to attend the session from today to the end of this month: BS Yeddyurappa BS Yeddyurappa, BJP, on Karnataka Assembly session beginning today: We will give a whip to attend the session from today to the end of this month. BS Yeddyurappa, BJP, on Karnataka Assembly session beginning today: We will give a whip to attend the session from today to the end of this month. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/t9y0Xijb7a — ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2019





11:33 am IST On Supreme Court’s orders Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar met 10 rebel MLAs On Supreme Court’s orders Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar met 10 rebel MLAs, whose resignations he had rejected for being in wrong format. The MLAs flew in from Mumbai and flew back later in the night after meeting the Speaker. But he refused to take a final decision on accepting their letters demitting office and said he would study them “all night”.





11:09 am IST Karnataka BJP awaits Supreme Court’s ruling on rebel MLAs’ plea The opposition BJP is awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on the petitions of the 10 rebel Congress-JD-S MLAs and the Karnataka Assembly Speaker on their resignations for its next move against the coalition government in the 10-day monsoon session of the state legislature beginning on Friday afternoon, a party official said here. “We are waiting for the Supreme Court verdict on the petitions of the rebel legislators and the Speaker’s plea for more time to decide on their resignations as hearing on them is scheduled later in the day for our next move in the Assembly,” Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman G. Madhusudana told IANS.





10:59 am IST ‘Coalition strong’, says HD Kumaraswamy Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy exuded confidence saying the state’s Congress-JD(S) coalition was ‘going strong’ despite the resignations of rebel MLAs. The state has been in throes of political upheaval after the resignations on July 6 and the Speaker is expected to take a final call today as per the Supreme Court directive.





10:53 am IST Karnataka Youth Congress leader moves Supreme Court A Karnataka Youth Congress leader moved the Supreme Court on Friday seeking to intervene in a case filed by 10 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs for a direction to the Assembly speaker to accept their resignations. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was told by the counsel of Anil Chacko Joseph, the Youth Congress leader, that the resignations by the rebel MLAs were nothing but a kind of defection and sought a hearing as an intervenor, reports PTI.





10:27 am IST Congress has issued a whip to its MLAs to be present through the session and vote in favour of the government A cautious Congress issued a whip to its MLAs to be present through the session and vote in favour of the government. Senior Congress leader Krishna Byregowda said the BJP could ask for a division of votes on the Finance bill if it wished.





10:15 am IST We will ask court to implement its order so that speaker takes decision as soon as possible: M Rohatgi Senior lawyer M Rohatgi,representing Karnataka rebel MLAs: We will ask court to implement its order so that speaker takes decision as soon as possible.If all MLAs appeared before him,gave affidavits and moved Supreme Court that they want to resign,what further verification is required I don’t understand. Sr lawyer M Rohatgi,representing K'taka rebel MLAs: We'll ask court to implement its order so that speaker takes decision as soon as possible.If all MLAs appeared before him,gave affidavits&moved SC that they want to resign,what further verification is required I don't understand pic.twitter.com/cRMnn3dAjm — ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2019





10:11 am IST Monsoon session of Karnataka assembly begins today The monsoon session of the Karnataka assembly begins on Friday and the current crisis is expected to roil the proceedings. Yeddyurappa said the party had not taken any decision on the matter yet. “We will wait for the Supreme Court to decide on Friday,” he said.





9:50 am IST Since Saturday, 16 lawmakers from coalition have tendered their resignations Since Saturday, 16 lawmakers from the coalition have tendered their resignations. If accepted, it will push the ruling alliance into a minority in the 224-member assembly. Frenetic attempts by coalition troubleshooters over the past week to convince the rebels to return have been foiled.





9:36 am IST Ramesh Kumar said his meeting with lawmakers was videographed and will be submitted to Supreme Court Karnataka speaker KR Ramesh Kumar confirmed all resignations received were in the correct format – he had rejected eight letters on Tuesday for not being in the proper format – and said his meeting with the lawmakers was videographed and will be submitted to the top court.





9:15 am IST KR Ramesh Kumar refused to take a final decision on accepting rebel MLAs’ resignation Karnataka speaker KR Ramesh Kumar met the 10 MLAs – seven from the Congress and three from the Janata Dal (Secular) – shortly after 6 pm in his chamber in the Karnataka assembly and received their resignation letters. But he refused to take a final decision on accepting their letters demitting office and said he would study them “all night”.





8:46 am IST Ramesh Kumar has given appointment for 4:00 pm today to three of the five MLAs Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar has given appointment for 4:00 PM today to three of the five MLAs whose resignations were in the prescribed format. Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar has given appointment for 4:00 PM today to three of the five MLAs whose resignations were in the prescribed format. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/ABAcvUIhvO — ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2019



