Mumbai: The Supreme Court heard the petition of 10 rebel MLAs demanding Karnataka Speaker to accept their resignations. The court directed the rebel leaders to appear before the Karnataka Speaker by 6 pm today. It also directed the Karnataka director general of police (DGP) to provide security to these MLAs when they land in Bengaluru.
The apex court also asked Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar to decide on the resignations today. The matter will be heard again on July 12.
The court also told the rebel MLAs to submit resignations afresh, if there is a need.
Latests reports suggest that the MLAs will be heading back to Bengaluru from Mumbai around 2.30 pm.
Rebel MLAs Pratap Gouda Patil, Ramesh Jarkhiholi, Byrati Basavaraj, BC Patil, ST Somashekar, Arbail Sivaram Hebbar, Mahesh Kumathalli, K Gopalaiah, HD Vishwanath and Narayan Gowda had moved the Supreme Court and demanded that Speaker Ramesh Kumar must accept their resignation instead of threatening them with disqualification.
Rebel MLAs demanded that they need security from the hotel to the airport in Mumbai and from the airport to the Speaker's office in Bengaluru.
Senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi argued on behalf of the rebel MLAs. He said that the Speaker is not doing what he is supposed to do.
Rohatgi asked the court to issue orders to DGP Mumbai to provide security for the MLAs citing the drama that was witnessed outside hotel on July 10.
Congress leader, Karnataka water resources minister staged a dharma outside the Mumbai Hotel as he was denied permission despite claiming that he had booked the room. The hotel too stated that his booking was cancelled due to security reasons.
Meanwhile, Speaker Ramesh Kumar said that he would act according to law and all matters would be dealt with in the Speker's office and no private meetings with rebel leaders would be entertained.
Rohatgi had argued that 15 MLAs wanted to resign, but the Speaker “ran away from office” just before the resignations were to be handed over.
The Congress in Karnataka wants to issue a whip on the first day of the session and start defection procedure.