Karnataka: Supreme Court refuses to give more time to BJP, orders floor test tomorrow
New Delhi, May 18 (IBNS): In a jolt to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Supreme Court on Friday ordered a floor test in the Karnataka assembly at 4 pm on Saturday, turning down the saffron outfit's request for more time to prove majority.
The Congress called the judgement "historic" while Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa said he would prove his majority on the floor of the house tomorrow.
A temporary Speaker will be selected to preside the floor test in the Karnataka assembly. The top court has asked not to select anyone from the Anglo Indian community as the Speaker.
The apex court has also ruled out videography or use of secret ballots in the conduction of the floor test.
Following the order, Congress' senior leader Abhishek Singhvi, who led the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) in the court, said: "Truth will come out tomorrow."
Singhvi has also termed the Supreme Court's order as "historic interim order".
BJP's BS Yeddyurappa has already sworn in as the new Karnataka Chief Minister.
Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala had earlier granted 15 days to the BJP to prove its majority, after the part failed to reach the seats needed to form the government on its own.
After the verdict, Yeddyurappa told media that the BJP is ready for the floor test and the party will also win it.
The legal battle has a genesis in the fractured mandate meted out by the Karnataka people in the recently concluded assembly polls.
The Congress and the JD(S), which had won 78 and 38 seats respectively, united after the poll results to keep the BJP, which bagged 104 seats, out of power.
The Congress and the JD(S) knocked the door of the Supreme Court on Wednesday night immediately after the Governor's invitation to Yeddyurappa to take oath as the CM.
However, after a three-hour long hearing in the midnight drama, the top court had refused to stay the swearing-in ceremony, which was held on Thursday.
A three-judge bench comprising Justices AK Sikri, A Bobde and Ashok Bhushan has heard the case.
Ex-Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi was defending the BJP and Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was advocating the union government in the case, report said.
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