Karnataka Speaker finds rebel MLAs' resignations 'faulty'

Karnataka Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar on Tuesday declined to accept the resignations of all the 13 Congress and JD-S rebel legislators, as eight were not in the prescribed format and five needed explanations to ensure they were in accordance with the anti-defection law.

"I have summoned all the legislators of both the parties to meet me on July 12, July 15 and July 21, as their resignations are faulty and explanations are not in accordance with the law under section 202 of the Anti-Defection Act," said Kumar.

Of the 13 legislators, 10 belong to the Congress and three to the JD-S.

On scrutiny, resignations of only five lawmakers were found to be in the proper format.

"As the remaining eight resignations of legislators of both the parties are not in the right format, I have given them time till July 21 to re-submit them and explain reasons for quitting from their respective Assembly constituencies," said Kumar.

Of the five legislators, whose resignations were in order, Anand Singh, Ramalinga Reddy and Pratapgouda Patil are of the Congress while N. Narayana Gowda and K. Gopalaiah are of the JD-S.

"I have asked Singh, Patil and Gowda to meet me on July 12 to explain their resignations and ensure they were voluntary and genuine as per the law," Kumar said.

The Speaker summoned Reddy and Gopalaiah on July 15 to explain the reasons for their resignations.

The eight legislators whose resignations are faulty and have been told to resubmit them in the right format are B.C. Patil, S.T. Somshekar, Byrati Basavaraj, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumathalli, Shivram Hebbar, Munirathna (all Congress) and A.H. Vishwanath of the JD-S.

On the resignation of suspended Congress legislator R. Roshan Baig, the Speaker said his (Baig's) letter was being verified by his office, as Baig submitted it on Tuesday afternoon.IANS