On the second day of hearing after the Congress-JDS alliance moved to the Supreme Court at midnight petitioning against BS Yeddyurappa being invited to form the government, the 3 judge bench today ordered the floor test to be held tomorrow.
#FLASH Supreme Court directs for floor test in Karnataka Assembly at 4 pm tomorrow, after hearing Congress-JD(S) plea against #Karnataka Governor inviting BJP to form govt. pic.twitter.com/qSwBEJmfp0
— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2018
The 3 Judge bench comprising Justices AK Sikri, SA Bobde and Ashok Bhushan today passed an order that the floor test is held tomorrow at 4 PM after administering oaths to all elected MLAs. According to reports, as per the SCs demand, letters that Yeddyurappa presented to the Governor of Karnataka were placed before the judges. In today’s order, the SC has also reportedly effectively ignored the decision of the Governor Vajubhai Vala to let Yeddyurappa prove his party’s majority within 15 days.
Though Mukul Rohatgi, who represented the BJP in the SC hearing requested for more time for the floor test, BJP leader Shobha Khandaraje has stated to media that the BJP will prove its majority.
‘We will prove majority on the floor of the House tomorrow, we are ready for floor test’, says Shobha Karandlaje, BJP #SaturdayFloorTest pic.twitter.com/YWaf9OjKYk
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) May 18, 2018
According to reports, the SC has also set the conditions that neither sworn CM Yeddyurappa can take any major policy decisions before the floor test nor any secret ballot will be allowed. The SC bench has also ordered that as claimed by some sources, an MLA from the Anglo-Indian community cannot be nominated before the floor test. The SC has also ordered the DGP to take adequate security measures to ensure a smooth floor test.
Reports also state that the SC ordered a protem speaker be appointed before the floor test who will also administer oaths to all the MLAs before the set time tomorrow. According to reports, 8 times Congress MLA RV Deshpande has been recommended for the post.
#BREAKING 1st on CNN-News18 | Congress (@INCINdia) MLA RV Deshpande recommended as pro tem Speaker | @deepab18 with details | #BattleForKarnataka pic.twitter.com/LDwWYpsoWc
— News18 (@CNNnews18) May 17, 2018
Though it is believed that the protem speaker does not vote during a floor test, there are mixed opinions on social media on whether it will be beneficial for the BJP or not.
The Congress-JDS alliance had been busy ferrying their MLAs from one resort to another for ‘safeguarding’ them. However, as now the SC order has set the floor test to be held tomorrow and all MLAs to be sworn-in before the test, they are expected to be rushing back to Bengaluru.
