SC refuses to list plea of 2 K’taka MLAs seeking floor test forthwith

New Delhi, July 22

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to urgently list a plea of two Independent Karnataka MLAs seeking holding of floor test forthwith, but said it might consider listing of the petition on Tuesday.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, “Impossible. We have never done this before. Tomorrow we may see to it.”

The bench’s remarks came when senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the two legislators--R Shankar and H Nagesh, said he had filed a new petition in the Karnataka matter and sought its urgent listing.

Rohatgi said the floor test is being delayed on one pretext or the other.

He said when the Congress-JD(S) coalition could take orders for holding of the floor test earlier then same order could be issued now.

To this the bench said, “We will see tomorrow.”

The two MLAs, who withdrew support to the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka, moved the top court seeking a direction for conducting a floor test forthwith in the state Assembly.

They said the state had plunged into a political crisis after they withdrew their support to the government and 16 lawmakers of the ruling coalition tendered their resignations. PTI