BENGALURU: Congress and other Opposition party leaders on Thursday stressed the need to retain the power of disqualifying MLAs with the Speaker, under the anti-defection law. A meeting was convened by Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri with all parties’ members on Thursday.
Opposition leader Siddaramiah said the power of disqualification should be retained with the Speaker, who should bar legislators from contesting elections for 10 years. Speaker Kageri presided over a meeting of legislators and legal experts to seek their views on strengthening the anti-defection law under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Cabinet ministers, Siddaramaiah and other leaders from Congress and JDS attended the meeting. KPCC chief DK Shivakumar said this has been discussed at the national level too. “This is a menace. It has to be removed to save democracy,” he said.