Karnataka Assembly adjourned without holding trust vote

Karnataka Legislative Assembly was adjourned last night without holding the floor test. The House discussed the Confidence motion amidst uproarious scenes at several occasions. Around 11.30 PM, the members of the treasury benches persisted that the House be adjourned for the next day as there are several members to speak on the motion. BJP members, on the other hand, insisted that the floor test should be held last night itself. 

Congress Legislative party leader Siddaramaiah said that the discussion and the floor test could be concluded by 8 PM today. When this was not accepted by the Speaker, Siddaramaiah suggested that the discussion may conclude at 4 PM, Chief Minister may give his reply thereafter and voting may be held by 6 PM today. The Speaker accepted the suggestion and adjourned the House to meet this morning. BJP member Madhuswamy opposed the arrangement and insisted that the Speaker should hold the floor test yesterday itself as promised. This was not accepted by the Speaker.

Supreme Court will hear today a fresh plea of two independent Karnataka MLAs seeking holding of immediate floor test in the State Assembly on the trust motion moved by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had declined to hear the plea of R Shankar and H Nagesh yesterday. 

Appearing for the two MLAs, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said that the floor test is being delayed on one pretext or the other. The two MLAs, who withdrew support to the Congress-JD(S)



government in Karnataka, moved the top court seeking a direction to the Kumaraswamy-led government for conducting a floor test immediately. They said, the State has plunged into a political crisis after they withdrew their support to the government and 16 lawmakers of the ruling coalition tendered their resignations. The petitioners said, a minority government is being allowed to continue in office.

The two legislators said that Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala had sent messages to the house under Article 175(2) of the Constitution asking for completion of vote of confidence, but the same were not adhered to and the trust vote debate continued unending. The legislators have accused the government of taking advantage of the logjam and taking several executive decisions like transferring of police and IAS officers and other officials.

Congress is holding the stick of disqualification to the rebel MLAs in a move to bring them back. D K Shivakumar and Dinesh Gundu Rao of Congress told the rebels to come to the House today or face disqualification under anti-defection law. The Speaker too has fixed hearing on the petition filed by Congress legislative party leader Siddaramaiah to disqualify the rebels for anti party activities. 

Supreme Court too is taking up the case of Independent MLAs today seeking floor test. Will the ruling coalition abide by the Speaker’s decision to hold the floor test before six this evening is something being watched by everyone.