Karnataka: Two disqualified lawmakers move Supreme court

New Delhi: Two Congress lawmakers, Ramesh Jarkhiholi and Mahesh Kumathalli, who were disqualified from the Karnataka Assembly, Monday moved the Supreme court seeking the quashing of Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar’s decision rejecting their resignations and disqualifying them from the membership of the State legislature till the rest of its term.

Seeking the quashing of Mr Kumar’s July 25 decision of rejecting their resignations and disqualifying them, both have contended was in violation of their right under Article 19. Ramesh Kumar has since resigned as Speaker.

“Their right to resign from the post of MLA and carry on any vocation of their choice including public service cannot be denied by the Speaker. The action of the Speaker is thus in violation of their fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 19 and 21”, says the petition.

Urging the court to call for the records of the proceedings before the resignations and disqualification,  the two disqualified lawmakers have described Speaker’s action as “wholly illegal, arbitrary, and malafide.”

The move to disqualify the dissident Congress lawmakers was initiated by the leader of the Congress Legislature Party Siddaramaiah, and  Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, president Dinesh Gundurao.