Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Monday informed the state Assembly that the trust vote for the Congress-JDS coalition government will be done by Tuesday 6 pm.
He also adjourned the house till 10 am Tuesday.
On Friday, the Assembly already missed two deadlines for the floor test set by the Governor.
While BJP termed it as 'delaying tactics,' chief minister H D Kumaraswamy accused the party of indulging in 'immoral politics'.
The Speaker, earlier in the day, summoned rebel MLAs to his office at 11 am on Tuesday.
The notice has been issued over the petition by coalition leaders seeking disqualification of rebel MLAs.
In another related development, the Supreme Court refused to give an early hearing to a plea filed by two independent legislators seeking a direction to conclude floor test in Assembly.
The Congress-JDS government slipped into a minority following the resignation of several dissident MLAs earlier this month.
Sixteen MLAs from the ruling coalition, including thirteen from Congress and three of JD(S), have submitted their resignations.
The resignations are likely to reduce the strength of the Kumaraswamy government in the 225-member Assembly to 102 MLAs. The opposition BJP has 105 legislators and support of two Independents.
Breaching two deadlines set by Governor Vajubhai Vala has only added to the troubles for the Kumaraswamy government. [READ FULL REPORT HERE]
Karnataka assembly has been adjourned till 10 am Tuesday. Also, Speaker Ramesh Kumar informed the house that the floor test will be done by 6 pm on the same day.
"Tomorrow we will finish the floor test after some of our members speak. By 4 PM tomorrow we will finish the discussion, by 6 PM we will finish the floor test," says Congress' Siddaramaiah.
"Dinner break was a suggestion. Even if there is no dinner we are willing to discuss the motion. Let the house go on," says Yeddyurappa.
Coalition government opposes BJP's dinner break appeal. Speaker Ramesh Kumar says, "the canteens have been closed, no food will be available. Food needs to be brought from outside is that agreeable? It's a concern for many. There are many diabetic patients. Give me a solution."
"Speaker has served notice to rebel MLAs, giving them time till 11 AM tomorrow. BJP is trying to convince them that they won't be disqualified & they will be made ministers. As per the Constitution of India, you can't be made a member once you're disqualified," says Congress leader DK Shivakumar.
"After the Supreme Court takes a decision tomorrow, then it'll be right to speak and debate on this issue (trust vote)," says HK Patil, Congress MLA.
"CM had promised that he will finish it (trust vote) today and prove the majority today. Now I've spoken to Sunil, the chief Whip, over finishing it today. We will be in the house till 12 am. We didn't protest when they (Congress-JDS) were speaking. Siddaramaiah, CM and you(Speaker) promised floor test on Monday. When our chief Whip was called, we stated we'll be here till late night till all debates conclude. Please allow us to go ahead with confidence motion," says state BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa.
"I am ready to sit till 12 am. Why are you doing like this? This is not right," said Speaker to Congress-JD(S) MLAs who are raising slogans, 'Save the Constitution' inside the Assembly.
Speaker Ramesh Kumar held a meeting with BJP leaders-Sunil Kumar, Basavaraj Bommai, CT Ravi and JDS leaders-Sa Ra Mahesh, HD Revanna, Bandeppa Kashempur, in his chamber at Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru. He also met CM Kumaraswamy, Karnataka Deputy CM G Parameshwara, Krishna Byre Gowda (Congress) & Siddaramaiah (Congress).
MLAs continue to stay inside the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru even as the session has been adjourned for 10 minutes.
KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao in a press conference thanks Speaker for giving a ruling on point of order raised by Siddaramaiah. "Somebody else forcing them not to come is a different issue. This is a warning, they will have to face the consequences. Tomorrow SC will take up matter of 2 MLAs. Deliberations will give more clarity on the validity of whip. With doubts, trust vote not important whether it is done today or tomorrow, clarification is needed. These are our MLAs, they need to know truth. They need to know BJP has laid a trap. This info has to reach the MLAs, they need to know the ruling.
If there is something new, then fine. The same special flight repetition. I am bored. How many of you go to the library here? Should I get the register? Where will you have something new to talk then? Speaker says he is in no hurry, but need to complete today.
Home Minister M B Patil has called an official meeting with Commissioner of Police, to discuss about zero traffic reportedly given to rebel MLAs when they returned to Bengaluru to meet the speaker.
JD(S) MLA, AT Ramaswamy had raised this matter in assembly today.
CM H D Kumaraswamy meeting Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, say reports.
If home minister in his responsible position lies blatantly that zero traffic wasn't given to them and expects me to believe it, why should I even be in this house? I don't want this even if I am part of government, says AT Ramaswamy before staging a walkout of the Vidhan Soudha.
I will consider your concern and review the footage and give a response: M B Patil
Speaker pulls up home Minister M B Patil over zero traffic to rebels. "Does your conscience permit you to declare it wasn't given? The world has seen. This is classic example of how politicians fail voters when they are guided by officials. Go on give zero traffic to criminals too".
CM Kumaraswamy likely to meet Karnataka Governor by 7 PM, say TV reports.
No need to take this personally. It is not just someone's personal life. It's not just about the victim and an audio recording with a leader. It involves various issues like drugs etc. We need to take this up: Congress' Tanveer Sait
BJP's Arvind Limbavali gets emotional, appeals to Speaker for inquiry into tapes. "Today it is me, tomorrow it could be someone else. Imagine how my family would look at me after this. I am deeply hurt by it. Don't know who has conspired against me. It could be people from every side, he says.
Congress-JD (S) is violating constitutional rights. Democracy is being murdered. Court has allowed the 15 MLAs (rebel MLAs) that they may or may not be present there. They (K'taka govt) don't have the no., they're in minority. Until MLAs return, they (K'taka govt) get the majority the assembly will go on...this being done by Speaker is unacceptable. Today a full stop should be put to all this, Governor should take a decision & save democracy: BJP national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao
AT Ramaswamy: By your conscience, be honest and declare that you have nothing to do with this. If you want to do good then you could do so as opposition too. Sitting in opposition gives you more freedom. You can work for the people there too but that doesn't seem to be your aim.
Before Lok Sabha polls, I said the two parties are not coordinating. And that we shouldn't mind sitting in opposition. Internal problems may have helped the BJP I suppose. I had raised issues of land grabbing in Bengaluru. Revenue min assured action. But nothing happened. If we had a conscience, none of this would have happened. We have been elected on the manifesto of a party. If they had morality, they would have remained members of this house from the same party. If not then we are cheating those voters. 15 friends have resigned and are absent: A T Ramaswamy
Democracy is successful when there is a strong opposition. By numbers, Karnataka's assembly has the strongest opposition. It has been so for 14 months. But why this hurry? Do you not know how important opposition is? I won't say it's just your fault, the fault lies with the government too: A T Ramaswamy
Each member will speak only for 10 minutes. Don’t make me say this again and again: Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar
A T Ramaswamy on motion: I didn't want to speak but the Vidhana Soudha that I stand in is collapsing. Not the building but its value, identity, honour and integrity is falling. Democracy has already collapsed, in all three parties. Where are we today? In resorts.
House reconvenes.
Speaker will take a call on confidence motion. We have already told that we will prove the confidence in Vidhana Soudha. The case is pending in Supreme Court. We have also filed the petition, most probably tomorrow Supreme Court will hear our plea. If the rebel MLAs come back then they will be with us. Rebels have told that they are not living comfortably, they could have stayed back here itself: Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah
Assembly adjourned till 3.30 PM
I appeal to Speaker to decide on the resignations first and then put the motion to vote. Our fight is not just to save our govt. We are fighting for democracy. The BJP is murdering democracy in Karnataka. This is nothing short of an assault on democracy. Let me tell them blood of democracy is on their hands. I appeal to these MLAs too that they still have time to make corrections: Krishna Byre Gowda
It's a systematic effort to eliminate political opposition in this country. They haven't spared any institution. We have come to the state where SC judges had to come out in public. There is an unannounced emergency in the country. There is systematic assault not just on democracy but also on other parties. We will soon become a Russia if this continues: Krishna Byre Gowda
Speaker has the right to decide whether they are members of house or not. Until that is resolved, this trust vote won't get sanctity: Krishna Byre Gowda
A third dimension situation has been created with the SC telling the rebel MLAs it's their discretion. Speaker has said whip will apply but the members believe the SC will protect them: Krishna Byre Gowda
Dr Umesh Jadhav was a member of this house. But he submitted his resignation to you. When asked by your office he said he had been a loyalist of INC. After giving a written statement that he won't jump parties, he joined BJP disrespecting the chair: Krishna Byre Gowda
Flights that ferried MLAs is owned by a company owned by a BJP MP. BJPs Ashwanthnarayana meets rebel MLAs, is that false? They claim this isn't Operation Kamala. Was Turuvekere MLA Jaggesh not Op Kamala? Anand Asnotikar, B Jarkiholi etc: Krishna Byre Gowda
People who bashed up their own MLA are today talking ethics? They physically assaulted Their MLA and we rushed to the Speaker to seek protection for the MLA: Madhuswamy
Media has shown R Ashoka accompanying MTB Nagaraj and photos of him holding meetings with rebel MLAs. Is this not connected: Krishna Byre Gowda
Okay, we will not talk about it. But there is a photo of one BJP leader at the airport when MLA is boarding flight. Is the BJP not involved: Krishna Byre Gowda
That person is not a member of this House. I can't entertain it: Speaker
Did 17-18 people resign without sitting together or resign knowing well that many resignations will bring the govt down? There are photos of someone with the rebel MLAs. Who is this person? Santosh? Does he have no connection with BJP: Krishna Byre Gowda
A man who is accused in this case says that he is resigning from his MLA post and if situation demands that he join hands with the BJP then so be it: Krishna Byre Gowda
When IT sent us letter regarding the company, we asked for a probe. This firm didn't come up after I became CM, it has been there for years. We gave the investigation to SIT & they were successful in bringing him back but now the ED has him: H D Kumaraswamy
Krishna Byre Gowda has raised a very valid point. The govt that has intelligence knew that such company existed & when a complaint came in they gave a clean chit. People who shared biryani with such should be named shamed and hanged to death. They have all the information. People who fought elections with their money should be named. Who are the people who protected a thief & not people? Who assured safety for the thief & not the people: C T Ravi
Why are all issues pending before courts and SIT being discussed here? People against whom they are making allegations aren't even here: BJP's Madhuswamy
Another MLA, a few poor minority community people took all their money & invested in a firm & founder accused an MLA of holding business with him for crores of rupees: Gowda
Anand Murthy, an advocate, has filed PIL in Karnataka High Court, alleging that trust vote is being deliberately delayed.
As a society, we are suffering from collective amnesia, not selective amnesia. Does the media not know what has happened before all of this: Gowda on media.
After referring to Gowda's submissions, Speaker indicates trust vote could be deferred.
However, I have to respect Shettar's suggestion that documentary evidence should be submitted. I ask Krishna B Gowda to submit it to me. I'm making it clear that I may have to reconsider voting for motion depending on the evidence: Speaker
Nobody has stopped BC Patil from coming to the house. People have elected him to be present in this house and defend himself. He has right to come but he hasn't: Speaker
This leader even assures that there won't be any by-election too. The party's central leader also assures BC Patil. The MLA says he has three more MLAs with him & expressed his desire to be minister. Is all of this my imagination? Is this morality, asks Krishna Byre Gowda
The media isn't willing to discuss who these rebel MLAs are but let it be discussed in the house. BJP claims it isn't involved but there are multiple incidents where its link can be established. Ramesh Jarkiholi has been documented hobnobbing with the BJP for months now. BC Patil himself recorded audio. I will not name the leader involved but this conversation has that leader assuring BC Patil money and power for MLAs.: Congress MLA Krishna Byre Gowda
SC has not violated any of our rights. It has categorically upheld the autonomy of the Speaker: KR Ramesh
In your speeches, today, make sure that the dignity of Assembly is kept alive. These are time stalling tactics being used. It harms the image of Assembly, Speaker and also image of you as MLAs: KR Ramesh Kumar
I will have to pass a ruling today. I was delayed as I was checking the Supreme Court order: Speaker
Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar summons rebel MLAs to meet him at his office at 11 am on July 23. The notice has been issued over disqualification (of rebel MLAs) petition by coalition leaders.
Supreme Court refuses to give early hearing on plea by two independent Karnataka MLAs seeking a direction to conclude floor test in Assembly today.
Former Karnataka CM & BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa along with BJP MLAs arrives at Vidhana Soudha.
Congress MP BK Hariprasad has given notice in Rajya Sabha under rule 267, for suspension of business for discussion over 'Constitutional crisis in Karnataka.'
The debate has raised several constitutional issues and the actions taken by the Governor and the Speaker are likely to be examined far into the future after the vote concludes whether in favour of Kumaraswamy or not. [Karnataka assembly debate sure to have far-reaching consequences]
In a clear attempt to mock the coalition leaders raising questions of their safety on the floor of the House, rebel MLAs released videos insisting that they were abstaining from the session of their free will.