Supreme Court says rebel MLAs not to be compelled to take part in Karnataka Assembly proceedings

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court directed on Wednesday that the 15 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs “ought not” to be compelled to take part in the proceedings of the Karnataka Assembly, which is slated to decide the confidence motion moved by the H D Kumaraswamy-led state government on ThursdaynnA bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi further said Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar was free to decide on the resignations of the rebel legislators within such time-frame as deemed appropriate by himnnThe court also said the speaker’s decision be put before itnnThe bench, also comprising justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose, said the speaker’s discretion in deciding the resignation issue of the 15 MLAs should not be fettered by the court’s directions or observations and he should be free to decide the issuennThe bench, while pronouncing the order, said it was necessary to maintain the constitutional balance in the matternnThe court said other issues raised in the matter would be decided at a later stage.nnSource: Press Trust of India