SC: Will decide fate of 17 disqualified MLAs ‘soon’

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it would “soon” pronounce its verdict on a plea by 17 disqualified law makers of Karnataka Assembly seeking the quashing of then Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar’s order unseating them from the state Assembly for the rest of the term of the current House.

A bench of Justice N.V. Ramana, Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Krishna Murari added that the verdict would be based on the submissions made before the court in the course of the hearing.

The bench said this as senior counsel Kapil Sibal urged the court to take on record an application stating that the resignations by the 17 now-disqualified law makers came at the insistence of Union home minister Amit Shah.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it would “soon” pronounce its verdict on a plea filed by 17 disqualified lawmakers of Karnataka assembly seeking the quashing of then-Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar’s order unseating them from the State assembly for the rest of the term of the current House.

Saying that the verdict on the fate of 17 disqualified lawmakers of Karnataka assembly would be out “soon”, a bench of Justices N.V. Ramana, Sanjiv Khanna and Krishna Murari said that the verdict would be based on the submissions made before the court in the course of the hearing.

The bench said this as senior counsel Kapil Sibal urged the court to take on record an application stating that the resignation by the 17, now disqualified, lawmakers were at the instance of the Union home minister Amit Shah.

Refusing to take the application on record, Justice Ramana wrapped up the brief hearing telling Sibal, “You have brought it to our notice …”

Appearing for Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah, Mr Sibal told the court about a audiotape wherein the chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa is heard saying that he had no role in the resignation of 17 disqualified lawmakers and everything was done at the instance of Union home minister and our government was there because of their resignations and they even went to Supreme Court for the acceptance of their resignations and now they could not be left in lurch.

The Supreme Court had on October 25 reserved its verdict on a plea by 17 Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) rebel lawmakers.