Karnataka: SC refuses to stay Yeddyurappa swearing-in; latest updates
Karnataka Election 2018 News: The Supreme Court, after a midnight hearing on Thursday, refused to stall the swearing-in of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader B S Yeddyurappa as Karnataka's new Chief Minister.
The court, however, made it clear that the swearing-in and the government formation would be subject to the final outcome of the case before it.
The top court sought the letters which Yeddyurappa had written to Karnataka Governor informing him his election as BJP legislature party and posted the matter for further hearing at 10.30 am on Friday.
In a midnight legal push, the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) had approached the Supreme Court seeking an immediate intervention by the chief justice to stay the move, which it termed as an "encounter of the Constitution".
The Congress urged Chief Justice Dipak Misra to hold an urgent hearing on Wednesday night itself since Yeddyurappa is slated to take oath as chief minister at 9 am on Thursday.
In a joint petition, the two parties had sought a stay on the oath-taking taking ceremony of BJP's chief ministerial candidate Yeddyurappa.
The Governor on Wednesday invited Yeddyurappa to form the government, as the saffron party has emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats. Along with one independent MLA, the BJP has staked the claim at forming the government.
However, they are still short of the halfway mark of 112 by seven MLAs.
Whereas Congress-JD(S) alliance has 115 MLAs, just above the halfway mark.
"BJP has 104 seats, how will they prove majority on floor, even if they get some independent MLAs? Only way out is to bring Congress and JD(S) MLAs with them, either by using muscle power or buying MLAs. We have filed a petition urging Governor to give us a chance," Javed, lawyer of the JD(S) and Congress, told ANI.
1. No stay on Yeddyurappa swearing-in: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stall the swearing-in of BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa as Karnataka's new Chief Minister.
The court, however, said that the swearing-in is subject to the final outcome of the matter before it.
The bench headed by Justice A K Sikri has directed further hearing of the matter at 10.30 am on Friday.
2. Court demands letters sent by the BJP to the governor: A three-judge bench, comprising justices A K Sikri, S A Bobde and Ashok Bhushan, asked the Attorney General K K Venugopal to produce the letters sent by Yeddyurappa to the Karnataka Governor.