The rebel legislators were disqualified in July this year under the anti-defection law after they tendered their resignation. They were also barred from contesting polls for the duration of the current assembly.
By-elections to the 15 assembly seats in Karnataka are scheduled to be held on December 5.Earlier, it was o October 21 in 15 constituencies that were vacated by rebel MLAs of Congress and JD(S).
The Janata Dal (Secular) expelled three rebel MLAs from the party for indulging in anti-party activities, days after the Congress-JD(S) government collapsed after losing the confidence motion.
Earlier this month, the rebel MLAs had pulled out from the Congress-JD(S) coalition, plunging the coalition government into a minority in the 225-member Assembly, which led to a political crisis in the state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state President BS Yeddyurappa will take oath as Chief Minister between 6.00 to 6.15 PM today.
With 20 of its MLAs defying party whip, the 14-month-old Congress JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka fell on Tuesday after its defeat on the floor of the Assembly forcing Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to resign.
In the 224-member House, only 204 were present and voted. BJP got 105 votes while INC-JD(S) could manage only 99 votes.
Senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi said that rebel MLAs enjoy protection from the Supreme Court against disqualification and they were free to participate or not in the proceedings in the Assembly during the trust vote.
The trust vote is scheduled for Monday after the House was adjourned in the wake of the Assembly failing to meet the two deadlines set by Governor Vajubhai Vala to complete the trust vote on July 19, amid heated arguments between the MLAs during the debate.
Kumaraswamy said he has already written to the Governor in this regard on Friday informing him that the house was already considering the confidence motion and the debates are currently ongoing.
