Election Commission bats for disqualified Karnataka MLAs, says they must be allowed to contest by-poll

Bengaluru: In what comes as a massive sign of boosting confidence for the beleaguered disqualified 17 Karnataka MLAs, the Election Commission (EC) has told the Supreme Court (SC) that they should be given a chance to contest the by-poll to take place on October 21. 

The court started hearing the case starting today (September 23). As the hearing began, the disqualified lawmakers also told the SC that the process for by-poll to be suspended for their seats till the decision is taken on their appeal, as reported by Hindustan Times. 

But the EC also prayed to the SC that the by-poll should not be stopped at any cost. 

The 17 lawmakers from the JD(S) and the Congress were disqualified by the then Speaker of the Karnataka assembly Ramesh Kumar. These lawmakers were held to have violated the anti-defection law, therefore making them pay the price. 

These lawmakers, who had a fallout with the coalition government, for some reason or the other, decided to resign from their positions and were camping at a hotel in Mumbai. 

Both the Congress and the JD(S) made hectic efforts to reach out to the disgruntled lawmakers, but they did not yield to their pleas. The now-jailed Congress MLA DK Shivakumar was in the forefront, as he travelled all the way to the hotel, in a bid to bring them back. 

While many of the disgruntled elements were not happy with the coalition government, there were talks that the BJP had performed Operation Kamala to woo them and increase its tally in the state assembly. 

While the case is in the court, these disgruntled elements are said to have met chief minister BS Yediyurappa and poured out their woes to him saying he had destroyed them. 

In case, the SC countenances the plea of the EC, these disqualified MLAs can contest the by-poll. If not, tickets will be given to the persons these MLAs advocate. 
 

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