The Karnataka High Court on Friday ordered issue of notices to 22 MLAs and a minister on petitions alleging that they took oaths as members of the State Legislature and as a Minister in violation of the Constitutional provision.
In their petitions, city-based advocate Dharmapal Y and RTI activist Jayakumar Hiremath pointed out that all these elected representatives took oath in the name of the diety they worship or their parents or farthers or other individuals.
Arguing that this manner of taking oath was not permissible as the Constitution had prescribed specific form of oath, the petitioners have sought a direction to the Assembly Speaker and the State to impose penalty on these MLAs and minister SR Patil.
The petitioners have also sought a direction to remove the MLAs and the minister from their respective offices.
