SC agrees to hear plea of disqualified Karnataka MLAs seeking to contest bypolls for Assembly seats

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear the plea of 17 disqualified Karnataka MLAs who are seeking to contest bypolls for 15 Assembly seats in the state.

A three-judge bench headed by justice N V Ramana said it would hear on September 25 the plea in which the disqualified MLAs have sought interim relief to contest the by-elections.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the disqualified MLAs, told the bench that as per disqualification orders of then Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, these persons cannot contest elections for the remaining period of this Assembly which will end in 2023.

Meanwhile, the counsel representing Election Commission (EC), told the bench that bypolls for 15 vacant Assembly seats have been notified and court should not stay the elections.

The EC's counsel also said the Speaker's order disqualifying these MLAs cannot deprive them of their right to contest bypolls.