'Will Have to Examine if Resignations are Genuine': Karnataka Speaker Says Not Responsible for Political Crisis

Bengaluru: Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar said MLAs, who appeared before him Thursday, have given their resignations in the "right format" and he will have to examine whether they are "voluntary and genuine."

"The MLAs had come, they said they want to resign, I said they can give...they asked me to accept it. It cannot be like that I will have to see whether it is genuine or voluntary and be convinced," Kumar told reporters after meeting the disgruntled legislators.

Asserting he will abide by rules, the speaker said he will take a "just decision which may be of convenience to some and inconvenience to some."

Meanwhile, sources said the MLAs were returning to Mumbai.

Kumar said "the proceedings of today have been videographed, and will be sent to the Supreme Court Registrar General.

He said "Court has asked me to come to a decision, I have written to them (SC) the word "forthwith" they have said, I am unable to understand- what to decide, as Constitution says something else, so I have given them (MLAs) time (to appear before me).

The speaker also said he has asked MLAs some questions and they have answered them.

As per the Karnataka Legislature Rules, intended resignation should be "in perfect format," he said.

"Unfortunately, eight of the 13 letters that reached my office (last week) were not in the format," the speaker said.

"MLAs have submitted resignation in the right format now.. I will have to examine whether resignations are voluntary and genuine," he added.

Kumar also insisted that he was neither responsible for the current political situation nor its outcome.

As many as 10 Karnataka rebel MLAs, who were camping in Mumbai, arrived here by two special flights, hours after the Supreme Court allowed them to meet the Assembly Speaker to convey their decision to resign.

The MLAs boarded a luxury bus from the HAL airport and proceeded towards the Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat.

The top court earlier asked the speaker to decide "forthwith" on Thursday about the resignation of 10 rebel Congress-JD(S) coalition MLAs, allowing them to meet him at 6 pm.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said the decision taken by the speaker has to be intimated on Friday when the court takes up the matter again.

The resignation of 16 MLAs (13 from Congress and three from JDS) has pushed the coalition government to the brink of collapse. Two independent MLAs have also withdrawn support to the coalition government.