Karnataka: Speaker admits plea to disqualify JD(S) rebels, adjourns hearing

Bengaluru: Janata Dal (S) MLA B B Ningaiah moved Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, K B Koliwad, for disqualification of eight party legislators who cross voted during the recent elections to Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Council.
Mr Ningaiah, along with an advocate, submitted to the Speaker that eight of his party MLAs were suspended, and sought their disqualification under Schedule 10 of the Constitution.

Citing a ruling in Ravi Nayak and the Goa Government case, he contended that those legislators should be disqualified as they had defied the party direction and voted for the Congress candidates. They were elected to the Assembly under JD (S) symbol and had indulged in anti-party activities.

Mr Ningaiah argued that eight MLAs held a meeting with Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, and gave a statement that they would vote for Congress candidates. Their statements had appeared in both print and electronic media. This documentary evidence was sufficient to disqualify them. Even Mr Singh should be made a party in this case, he added.

Mr Koliwad, after hearing the submission, adjourned the hearing to August 23. Meanwhile, talking to reporters, Mr Ningaiah said he had demanded the disqualification of eight JD(S) legislators including Zameer Ahmed Khan, N Cheluvarayaswamy and B Gopalaiah. He had requested the Speaker to issue the show-cause notice on them after hearing further submission by the complainant.

"No one should support this kind of politics. Since Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was too in close contact with those eight legislators, a complaint will be lodged against him, if necessary", he added.