Bengaluru, July 25: Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar on Thursday disqualified three MLAs including two rebel legislators of the Congress till the end of the term of the house in 2023. The three MLAs suspended by Kumar are - Independent MLA R Shankar from Ranebennur constituency and Congress’ Ramesh Jarkiholi from Gokak constituency in Belagavi and Mahesh Kumathalli from Athani constutuency in Belgaum. Congress-JDS Rebel MLAs to Return to Bengaluru After BS Yeddyurappa Takes Oath as Karnataka CM: Reports.

According to reports, the speaker decided to disqualify the MLAs after he was convinced that the resignations of the legislator were not voluntary. The Congress MLAs were disqualified under the anti-defection law. The decision on the remaining rebel MLAs by the speaker would be taken in a couple of days after reviewing their resignations.

Addressing a press conference, Kumar said that the three MLAs were disqualified under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution (anti-defection law). Earlier in the day, Kumar had said that the rebel MLAs could not appear before him now. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Wednesday gave Kumar the freedom to decide on the resignation of the 15 MLAs. Two K'taka Independent MLAs to Move SC Seeking Conduct of Floor Test: Lawyer.

The decision to disqualify the three MLAs was taken by the speaker, two days after the Congress-Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) government headed by HD Kumaraswamy lost trust vote in the Vidhana Soudha. Immediately after losing the trust vote, Kumaraswamy submitted his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Vala. The Governor accepted the resignation and asked him to continue as a caretaker Chief Minister till further developments take place.

Following the trust vote, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state President B S Yeddyurappa had said he would meet Governor Vajubhai Vala to stake his claim to form the government in Karnataka after consulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. However, taking a dig at the saffron party, Kumaraswamy said no one can provide a stable government in the state in the current political scenario.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 25, 2019 11:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).