Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday said he will examine the resignations of all rebel MLAs and see if they were voluntary and genuine.
The Supreme Court on Friday asked whether the Speaker had the power to challenge its order, while hearing a plea moved by Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar against the top court order asking him to take a decision on the resignation of 10 rebel MLAs on Thursday.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was hearing a bunch of pleas moved by the speaker and the rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs.
The MLAs told the bench on that the Speaker had not taken any decision on their decision to step down, adding that he had no immunity with regard to the acceptance of the resignations. However, the counsel appearing for the Karnataka Assembly speaker said he was constitutionally obligated to decide on a plea for disqualification of the rebel MLAs.
Here are the live updates:
3:25 PM: Rebel Congress leader BC Patil outside Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati Temple in Mumbai said, "We will abide by the Supreme Court order. Our decision is final, there is no going back."
2:57 PM: Congress to move its MLAs to Clarks Exotica Convention Resorts in Bengaluru, after the Assembly proceedings today.
1:26 PM: M Kumaraswamy to Speaker in Assembly: Have decided to seek trust vote, please fix time for it.
1:25 PM: CM Kumaraswamy: I am ready for everything, not here to stick to power.
1:15 PM:
1:03 PM : Supreme Court orders to maintain status quo, when the matter would be heard again on Tuesday.
12:50 PM: Disqualification proceedings have been filed against eight MLAs, Singhvi, counsel for Speaker, tells SC.
12:49 PM: SC order was passed without hearing other side, what can Speaker do in such situation, asks CM.
12:48 PM: Speaker has the responsibility to satisfy himself that resignations were voluntary, CM to SC.
12: 37 PM : Plea of MLAs should not have been entertained, says CM to SC.
12:36 PM : MLAs in plea have levelled corruption allegations and order was passed without hearing me: Karnataka CM to SC.
12:35 PM: Order on resignations was passed by SC without issuing a notice to the speaker, alleges CM HD Kumaraswamy.
12:34 PM : Speaker was not served copy of the petition, the plea was controverted by rebel MLAs, Singhvi to SC.
12:30 PM: 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 SC.
12:30 PM: Rebel MLAs say the speaker questioned their move to approach SC and said "go to hell" to them in front of media.
12:28 PM: 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.
12:20 PM : Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argues that rebel MLAs' intention in giving resignation is something different, and it is to avoid disqualification.
12:18 PM : Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing in SC for Speaker, refers to provisions and says he holds the constitutional post.
12: 16 PM: Does speaker have the power to challenge SC order, CJI Ranjan Gogoi asks the speaker's counsel.
12:07 PM: SC commences hearing on plea of 10 rebel Karnataka MLAs seeking acceptance of their resignations by Assembly speaker.
11:35 AM: BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa on Karnataka Assembly session beginning today said, "We will give a whip to attend the session from today to the end of this month."
10:50 AM: Karnataka Youth Congress leader moves SC seeking to intervene in the case filed by 10 rebel MLAs for acceptance of their resignation.
8:20 AM: Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar has given appointment for 4:00 PM to three of the five MLAs whose resignations were in the prescribed format.
8:00 AM: Rebel Karnataka MLAs returned to Renaissance - Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel late Thursday. They had met Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar in Bengaluru after they were directed by Supreme Court to meet the Speaker at 6 pm and resubmit their resignations.