EC to SC: Bypolls to seats of 15 disqualified Karnataka MLAs may defer

Election Commission of India on Thursday told Supreme Court that it would defer upcoming by-polls to 15 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, whose MLAs were disqualified earlier. statement by EC's council came after a 3-judge bench heed by Justice N V Ramana said that it would decide on batch of petitions filed by 17 disqualified MLAs of Karnataka challenging order of former Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar disqualifying m from House.

RE: Karnataka drama to re-ignite; bypolls scheduled in 15 vacant seats

After bench, also comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna and Krishna Murari, said that it would hear matter completely and decide it, senior vocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for poll panel, said: "n I will ask Election Commission to defer it (by-polls for 15 Assembly seats in Karnataka) for sometime". When bench asked Dwivedi as to wher his statement should be recorded in order, senior lawyer said, "We will do it". lawyers appearing for disqualified MLAs, Congress leer Siddaramaiah and or respondents said, y have objection if by-polls are deferred. Meanwhile, top court said it would continue with hearing in case on October 22.

RE: Karnataka: EC opposes disqualified MLAs plea in Supreme Court

Earlier, Election Commission, in Supreme Court, h opposed plea of disqualified MLAs to stay elections till SC verdict on ir petitioning challenging former speaker’s actions. This comes two days after tification of dates for by-elections to 15 constituencies in Karnataka was anunced by EC.  petitioners asked SC to stay elections to ir vacant former constituencies till it arrives at a verdict on former speaker, Ramesh Kumar’s ruling t just disqualifying m, but even barring m from contesting elections till end of term of 15th assembly session. 

RE: Karnataka govt will collapse any time, predicts former CM Kumaraswamy

halfway mark in Karnataka assembly is 112 and in a truncated assembly, BJP h won trust vote comfortably as magic number was 105 and BJP legislators, with support of an independent MLA h sailed smoothly. BJP will have to win at least 8 of 15 seats in by-polls to retain ir government in state. opposition parties, Congress and JDS, which h formed previous government toger have decided to fight by-elections separately, without a pre-poll alliance with each or. With  wafer-thin majority of  current BJP government, all eyes are set on SC's verdict and EC's decision.

(with PTI inputs)