Stage Set For Floor Test In Karnataka, SC Orders Live Telecast

Bengaluru/New Delhi: The Supreme Court, on Saturday, ordered for live telecast of the proceedings of the floor test in Karnataka Assembly, scheduled for 4pm on Saturday.

The two-day-old BS Yeddyurappa led BJP-Government will have to prove its majority on the floor of the House.

Earlier in the day, the apex court rejected a joint petition of Congress- JD(S), challenging the appointment of BJP MLA KG Bopaiah as the pro-term speaker.

“Though a number of prayers have been made in the application of Congress-JD(S) combine, challenging the appointment BJP MLA K G Bopaiah as pro term speaker, it was not necessary to go into all the prayers in view of the statement made by Mehta that there will be live telecast of the proceedings,” the order read.

“It is also stated that secretary of legislative assembly will record it,” the order said.

Meanwhile, the Congress and JD(S) MLAs are back in Bengaluru after camping in Hyderabad for a day, over fear of poaching attempts by BJP.

Heavy security arrangements have been put into place around the Vidhan Soudha for smooth conduct of the floor test.

The results of Karnataka assembly elections was announced on May 17, with BJP becoming the single largest party with 104 MLAs, while Congress bagged 78 seats and JD(s) got 37. The half way mark is 111 and BJP are seven short of it.

BS Yeddyurappa, who was sworn in two days later on May 17, said he was confident of proving majority.