BENGALURU: The Karnataka Assembly on Monday approved ratification to withdraw the suspension of 18 BJP MLAs. They were suspended for six months on March 21, on the last day of the budget session, for showing “indiscipline” and “disrespecting” the Speaker.
On Day 1 of the monsoon session on Monday, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil moved a motion seeking the Assembly’s approval to withdraw the earlier decision of the House to suspend the 18 BJP MLAs. Speaker UT Khader put the motion for a voice vote, which was unanimously approved.
The 18 MLAs who were suspended are former DCM Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, BJP chief whip Doddanagouda Patil, Dr Bharath Shetty, Dheeraj Muniraju, SR Vishwanath, BA Basavaraju, MR Patil, Channabasappa, B Suresh Gowda, Umanath Kotian, Sharanu Salagar, Muniratna, Basavaraj Mattimud, Dr Shailendra Beldale, C K Ramamurthy, Yashpal Suvarna, BP Harish, and Chandru Lamani.
HK Patil said that after the suspension, Leader of Opposition in Assembly R Ashoka approached CM Siddaramaiah and Speaker Khader seeking the revoking of the suspension. The CM later urged the Speaker to call for a meeting, where it was decided to revoke the suspension. Patil further said that the suspended MLAs had expressed regret for their action and a petition was submitted to the Speaker.
The Speaker had suspended the 18 MLAs under Rule 348 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Assembly, which was later approved by the House. According to the rules, withdrawal of a member’s suspension from the House requires formal ratification by the House itself and not just a decision by the Speaker or a committee.
The BJP MLAs were protesting against the government’s decision to grant 4% reservation to minorities in government tenders and were also demanding a probe into the honey trap allegation raised by MLA KN Rajanna.