Karnataka Crisis : SC Refuses To Hear Today MLAs' Plea For Holding Trust Vote

The CJI-led bench of the Supreme Court on Monday refused to accept the request made for urgent hearing today for a writ petition filed by two MLAs for holding trust vote in Karnataka assembly.

When an oral mention regarding this was made by Senior Adovacate Mukul Rohatgi, CJI Ranjan Gogoi said it was impossible.

Then Rohatgi made a request for tomorrow listing, to which the CJI responded 'We will see'.

The petition seeks a direction to hold trust vote for the Congress-JD(S) Government in Karnataka by 5 PM today.

The petitioners KPJP MLA R Shankar and independent MLA Nagesh state that they had withdrawn their support to ruling coalition, making it a minority government. Though the Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had declared on July 12 that he will seek a trust vote in the assembly on July 18, that has not yet taken place, the petitioners say.

Taking advantage of the logjam, the Government, which is in minority, is taking several executive decisions like transferring the Police Officers, IAS officers, other Officials etc., allege the petitioners.

The trust vote did not take place on Thursday as initially scheduled. Though Governor Vajubhai Vala issued a direction to the Speaker to hold trust vote by 1.30 PM on Friday, it was not followed. The Governor then gave a further ultimatum to hold the trust vote by 6 PM on Friday, which was also defied.

The petitioners state that the Governor's message to the House has to be followed in terms of Article 172(5) of the Constitution.

Congress and JD(S)have filed a petition seeking a clarification that the July 17 order permitting 15 rebel MLAs to stay out of House will not apply to party whips issued as per Schedule 10 of the Constitution