Legislative Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar on Monday gave a ruling that a legislature party leader has the right to issue whip.
The ruling was on the point of order raised by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah on July 18 stating that the Supreme Court order (that said the 15 rebel MLAs cannot be compelled to attend the session) had circumvented the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.
Soon after the House proceedings began, the Speaker told the legislators that it was a strange situation as none of the legislature party leaders were party to the Supreme Court order, while he was. “But the whip is a matter concerning the legislature party leaders and not me. Legislature party leaders are free to exercise their right to issue a whip to their MLAs, including the 15 rebel MLAs, and the House will not infringe upon that right,” he said.
“Issuing whip is your right. Following them is left to the MLAs. If any complaint comes to me, I will follow the rules and take a decision,” the Speaker said.
When the confidence motion was moved on July 18, Mr. Siddaramaiah had pressed for deferring it till the Speaker decided on the issue of whip in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict on the political crisis in the State.
Mr. Siddaramaiah had said that the 15 ruling coalition rebel MLAs were influenced by the apex court order that they can abstain from attending the Assembly proceedings and asked the Speaker to give a ruling on the fate of whip issued by him as CLP leader.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee has welcomed the Speaker’s ruling.
