Bengaluru: The top court’s verdict on the disqualification of the seventeen Karnataka MLAs has honoured their disqualification but not the term of their disqualification. 

Former Karnataka Speaker Ramesh had disqualified them till the end of the current term (2023) but the top court is of the view that it is ultra vires for him to set a term. 

What this means is that the disqualified MLAs can contest the by-polls to be held in 15 constituencies on December 5. 

There are talks that the JD(S) and Congress is examining the prospect of filing a review petition. 

But sources from the JD(S) say that it is too early to arrive at a decisive conclusion at this point in time. 

On the other hand, a senior Karnataka Congress leader, who wished not to be named said, “We accept the order of the Supreme Court humbly. In all likelihood, we will not file a review petition.However, it is too early to take a call.” 

Former Speaker Ramesh Kumar, who had taken the decision of disqualification and setting a term for disqualification said, “I welcome the verdict of the top court. I also humbly accept its order on the term set.” 

As many as seventeen members of the Congress and JD(S) had tendered their resignations. The then Speaker Ramesh Kumar had not accepted their resignations and gone to the extent of setting a term till 2023. 

Congress and JD(S) leaders alleged that these seventeen disqualified members were being influenced by the BJP. Their counsel also informed the top court that the disqualified members who flew to Mumbai and stayed put at a hotel there was at the behest of the BJP.

On the other hand, the disqualified members alleged that they were being meted out step-motherly treatment. Some of them even put out allegations of interference by leaders like HD Revanna, saying they were poking their nose in things which were irrelevant to them.