Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court today reserved its judgement on the writ petition filed by the five Independent MLAs who had challenged Assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah's order disqualifying them under the Anti-Defection Law.
A full bench, comprising Justices Mohan Shanthanagoudar, Abdul Nazeer and A.S. Bopanna, reserved its orders after concluding the hearing from both parties.
P.M. Narendraswamy, Gulihatti D. Shekhar, D. Sudhakar, Shivaraj S. Thangadagi and Venkataramanappa were disqualified by Bopaiah on October 10, a day before Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa sought the vote of confidence, which he won.
The five legislators, along with 11 BJP rebel MLAs, had earlier withdrawn support to the Yeddyurappa government by submitting a letter to Governor H.R. Bhardwaj.
The Speaker had passed the composite order on separate writ petitions by two BJP MLAs C.T. Ravi and D.N. Jeevaraj, who is also the Chief Whip of BJP legislature party, and one voter each from five Assembly constituencies represented by the five MLAs, seeking their disqualification.