india

Updated: Jul 30, 2019 01:08 IST

Two rebel Congress lawmakers moved the Supreme Court on Monday against Karnataka assembly speaker K R Ramesh Kumar’s July 25 order disqualifying them.

Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kamathalli alleged Kumar’s decision smacked of “bias” and was “arbitrary,” “grossly illegal” and violated the constitutional mandate.

The two contended the constitution permitted them to carry on any trade, business, and profession. Therefore, the speaker cannot take away their right to resign as members of the legislative assembly to carry on any vocation of their choice, including public service, through his unconstitutional order, they said.

Independent lawmaker R Shankar filed a separate petition before the top court to set aside Kumar’s order rejecting his resignation and disqualifying him until the term of the current assembly ends in 2023.

Kumar on Sunday disqualified 14 more rebel lawmakers, whose decision to skip a trust vote last week toppled the state’s Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government.

Kumar said the 14 legislators– 11 from the Congress and three from the Janata Dal (Secular) – stood disqualified until the term of the current assembly, due to end in 2023, and could not even contest by-polls.

The decision ended the possibility of including the rebel legislators in the new Bharatiya Janata Party government.