Southern States - Karnataka   

More time for expelled MLAs to file pleas

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore June 18. Seven members of the Legislative Assembly, whose disqualification has been sought by the BJP on the ground they defected to the Congress after their expulsion from the party, were today given extension of time till August 2 to file their objections.

The Speaker, M.V. Venkatappa, who had issued notice to the seven members seeking their explanation by today, extended the time after a plea by their advocates that they were studying the legal aspects involved. The other ground for seeking extension of time was that the members were busy with drought relief work in their constituencies.

The members were present before the Speaker. Their plea for a further period of three months to file objections was not acceptable to the Speaker, who at one stage agreed to give time till July 14, when the House was scheduled to meet, or till July 31, when the session was likely to end. Ultimately, he agreed to extend time till August 2, according to Assembly Secretariat sources.

The members whose disqualification has been sought by the Leader of the BJP Legislature Party in the Assembly, and Leader of the Opposition, Jagadish Shettar, are Gundappa Vakil, V. Papanna, G. Krishnappa, H.C. Basavaraju, K.H. Hanume Gowda, A. Manju, and Bharati Shankar.

The contention of the BJP is that the members joined the Congress after their expulsion from the party.

All except Mr. Manju and Dr. Shankar were expelled by the BJP on the allegation they had cross-voted in the March 2002 biennial election to the Rajya Sabha from the Assembly constituency. Mr. Manju and Dr. Shankar, who were suspended earlier, were expelled for their "continued" anti-party activity.

The petition was filed more than seven months ago, and the members had been served notices by the Legislature Secretariat to file their objections by May 27.

But there was no response despite a number of reminders, and the Speaker heard them today.

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