Third judge upholds 11 BJP MLAs’ ouster

Deccan Herald

Bangalore, Oct 29, DHNS: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa’s government on Friday won a small but significant victory in the Karnataka High Court, with Justice V G Sabhahit upholding Speaker K G Bopaiah’s October 10 decision to disqualify 11 rebel Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs.

Justice Sabhahit, whose services were called upon after a division bench delivered a split verdict, concurred with Chief Justice J S Khehar’s opinion, observing that “the Speaker’s order is in consonance with provisions of Para 2(1)(a) of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution” that deals with the anti-defection law. He placed the rebels’ petition before the division bench for final orders. ...

Disqualification of 11 BJP MLAs upheld

Business Standard

Bangalore October 30, 2010: The Karnataka High Court today upheld the disqualification of 11 ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators by State Legislative Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah.

... In his judgment pronounced today, Justice Sabhahit upheld the Speaker’s decision under part 2(1)(a) of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, pertaining to the Anti-Defection Act.

Talking to reporters outside the court hall, counsel for the government, Satyapal Jain, said: “Justice Sabhahit has concurred and agreed with the opinion of Chief Justice J S Khehar that the conduct of rebel MLAs in writing a letter to the governor, withdrawing their support to the Yeddyurappa government, amounted to leaving the party under para 2(1) (a) of the 10th schedule of the Constitution of India.”

With this, all the rebel BJP MLAs have been disqualified from their membership of the Assembly. Now the order of Justice Sabhahit will go to the chief justice and a formal order will be issued by the high court. Their petition has been dismissed and their disqualification upheld.

“The anti-defection law has been strengthened. It will be a signal to members in any party,” Jain said. ...

Karnataka High Court upholds Speaker’s order

The Hindu

Advocate Satyapal Jain representing BJP adressing the media outside Karnataka High Court recently. [Photo Courtesy: The Hindu/G.P.Sampath Kumar]

Bangalore, October 29, 2010: In a major boost for the BJP government in the State, a third judge in the Karnataka High Court on Friday upheld the disqualification of 11 rebel BJP MLAs, concurring with the decision of the Chief Justice.

Justice V.G. Sabhahit, to whom the division bench headed by Chief Justice J.S. Khehar had referred the matter, upheld Speaker K.G. Bopaiah’s order disqualifying the dissident MLAs.

... BJP counsel Satya Pal Jain hailed the third judge’s order saying this gave a good signal to defectors.

... The case of disqualification of other 5 independent MLAs, who have also challenged the Speaker’s action, will come up for hearing on Nov 2. ...

Orders reserved on rebels' plea

The Hindu

Advocate Satyapal Jain (left), representing the BJP, addressing the press in Bangalore on Thursday. Law Minister S. Suresh Kumar is seen. — [Photo Courtesy: The Hindu/Sampath Kumar G.P.]

Bangalore, October 22, 2010: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday reserved orders on the petitions filed by 11 Bharatiya Janata Party legislators challenging their disqualification from membership of the Legislative Assembly.

Justice V.G. Sabhahit, who is the third judge hearing their plea against disqualification, heard arguments from both sides for two days before reserving orders on the petitions questioning the legality and validity of the October 11 order of Speaker K.G. Bopaiah disqualifying them.

...In the High Court, the BJP rebels contended that the Speaker could not pass an order under Section 2 (1) (a) of the Tenth Schedule disqualifying them. Soli Sorabjee and Satya Pal Jain, who defended the Speaker's action, said there was limited scope for judicial review of a Speaker's order.

If the rebels were disillusioned with the leadership of the Chief Minister, they could have approached the party for redressal of their grievances. How could they have gone to the Governor and what relief could he give them, they asked.  ...

Orders reserved in Karnataka BJP rebels case

The Hindu

Bangalore, October 21, 2010: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday reserved its orders on petitions filed by 11 rebel BJP MLAs challenging their disqualification, prolonging the suspense in the legal battle with a bearing on the B.S. Yeddyurappa government.

Judge V.G. Sabhahit heard the arguments from the counsels of the petitioners and Chief Minister Yeddyurappa during the two-day hearing which concluded on Thursday.

... Former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee and Satyapal Jain, counsels for Mr. Yeddyurappa, argued on Thursday that Mr. Bopaiah not only relied on the October 6 letter of the 11 MLAs withdrawing support to the government but also on their conduct. The counsel submitted that the Speaker’s order on October 10 is “not perverse at all”. ...

... Mr. Jain said the petitioners never challenged “any findings recorded by the Speaker” on the disqualification. “There is no submission in the petition (to the Speaker) that his order is perverse.”

“Even if a member does not say that he is voluntarily giving up his membership, an inference can be drawn from the conduct of the member that he is voluntarily resigning from the membership,” he argued. ...

K'taka: HC Reserves Orders on Rebel BJP MLAs' Case

Outlook

Bangalore | Oct 21, 2010: The Karnataka High Court today reserved its orders on petitions filed by 11 rebel BJP MLAs challenging their disqualification,...

... Former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee and Satyapal Jain, counsels for Yeddyurappa, today argued that Bopaiah not only relied on the October 6 letter of the 11 MLAs withdrawing support to the government but also on their conduct. ...
... Jain said the petitioners never challenged "any findings recorded by the Speaker" on the disqualification, "there is no submission in the petition (to the Speaker) that his order is perverse. Even if a member does not say that he is voluntarily giving up his membership, an inference can be drawn from the conduct of the member that he is voluntarily resigning from the membership," he argued.

Satyapal Jain, counsel for the state government, meets the media after the high court proceedings on Monday

DNA Bangalore

Justice gets another date

DNA Bangalore

Government safe even if independents win case: BJP

The Hindu

BANGALORE: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday claimed that the trust vote won by its Government was subject to the outcome of the Karnataka High Court's verdict only in the case relating to disqualification of five independents and not the one on disqualification of 11 rebel MLAs, which will now be heard by a third judge following the split verdict given by Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice N. Kumar.

Pointing out that the party government had won the trust vote by a margin of six votes, it maintained that the Government is safe even if the case relating to disqualification of five independents went against it.

Party advocate Satya Pal Jain told presspersons here that the two judges, who delivered their verdict on the petitions challenging the disqualification of 11 rebel MLAs, had agreed on three issues and differed only on one, but prominent issue of whether the MLAs' action had amounted to voluntarily giving up the party membership.

Pointing out that the matter relating to disqualification of 11 MLAs would now be looked into by a third judge, he maintained that the third judge would give his verdict only on the fourth issue of whether the MLAs' action would amount to voluntarily giving up the party membership. ...

K'taka HC split on rebel MLAs' disqualification

CNN-IBN Video

हाईकोर्ट में सुनवाई

एनडीटीवी खबर वीडियो

Karnataka disqualified MLAs: The crisis continues

NDTV Videos

K'taka HC gives split verdict on rebel BJP MLAs' plea

Hindustan Times

Bangalore, October 18, 2010 : The Karnataka High Court on Monday pronounced a split verdict on the disqualification of 11 rebel BJP legislators from the Assembly and referred the matter to a third judge on October 20. Hearing into another plea by 5 rebel independent legislators against their disqualification was posted before a new bench on November 2. ...

... Satyapal Jain, counsel for the BJP, told reporters, "Justice Khehar made the observation based on a Supreme Court ruling that 'voluntary resignation' may not require the legislator to tender resignation, but could be inferred on basis of his conduct (anti-party activities)." Legal experts claim that the decision of the third judge in the case would indicate a final verdict into the plea by the BJP legislators.

भाजपा विधायकों की अयोग्यता मुद्दे पर एक राय नहीं

जागरण YAHOO

Oct 18, बेंगलूर। कर्नाटक में भाजपा के 11 विधायकों को अयोग्य ठहराए जाने के मुद्दे पर हाई कोर्ट की दो सदस्यीय पीठ सोमवार को एक राय पर नहीं पहुंच सकी। अब इस मामले की सुनवाई 20 अक्टूबर को तीसरे न्यायाधीश करेंगे।...

... मुख्य न्यायाधीश जेएस खेहर ने विधानसभा अध्यक्ष केजी बोपैया द्वारा 11 भाजपा विधायकों को अयोग्य ठहराए जाने के फैसले को ठीक माना लेकिन पीठ के दूसरे न्यायाधीश एन. कुमार ने अपनी असहमति दिखाई। ...

... भाजपा के वकील सत्यपाल जैन ने कहा कि भाजपा विधायकों को अयोग्य ठहराए जाने के संबंध में अदालत ने कहा है कि स्वाभाविक न्याय के सिद्धांत और नियमों या प्रक्रियाओं का कोई उल्लंघन नहीं हुआ है। पिछले हफ्ते सुनवाई के दौरान भाजपा के वकील ने दलील दी थी कि मुख्यमंत्री के खिलाफ भाजपा के विद्रोही विधायकों द्वारा राज्यपाल को ज्ञापन सौंप स्वैच्छिक रूप से पार्टी की सदस्यता छोड़ने के बराबर है। यह दल-बदल है और इस पर दल-बदल कानून लगना चाहिए।...

Karnataka HC refuses to pass interim order on MLAs' plea

Times of India

BANGALORE: The fate of 16 MLAs of Karnataka assembly who were disqualified by the speaker on October 10 hangs in the balance with the high court refusing to pass any interim order.

... A mistake in the petition filed by the five independents was pointed out by Satyapal Jain, a senior counsel representing Yeddyurappa."They say they haven't left the party. It's supported by an affidavit," he argued. The counsel representing the independents conceded it was a mistake and said they would file an amended petition.

The Chief Justice remarked that the mistake may have occurred because of 'cut and paste' method while drafting the petition. ...

High Court bench adjourns MLA hearing

NewsX/Istream.in

HC adjourns hearing in MLAs disqualification case

CNN-IBN Video

Karnataka: High Court adjourns hearing on BJP MLAs disqualification petition

NDTV

October 12, 2010, Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court has adjourned till October 18 the hearing on a batch of petitions filed by 16 MLAs challenging their disqualification but gave them no relief by way of stay on the Speaker's action.

While the Bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice N Kumar reserved orders on the petition filed by 11 BJP MLAs in which arguments concluded, it granted time to 5 independents to amend their application in the wake of issues raised the government government.

... In the case of 5 Independents, their counsel K G Raghavan submitted that BJP cannot seek their disqualification as they were not elected on that party's symbol but as Independents.

However, the counsel for the Government Satyapal Jain pointed out that these Independents have attended BJP Legislature Party meetings ever since they became ministers and even signed registers of the party meetings.

Jain also pointed out that the Independents, in their petition, held that they never joined BJP and also they never left party.

"The question of quitting does not arise, unless, they were part of the party," Jain contended at which the counsel for Independents Raghavan sought time to amend the petition.

Karnataka high court adjourns hearing in MLAs disqualification case

DNA

Oct 12, 2010: Bangalore: The Karnataka high court today adjourned till Monday hearing in the case relating to disqualification of 16 MLAs by the assembly Speaker.

The Bench comprising chief justice JS Khehar and Justice N Kumar adjourned hearing after arguments were concluded on behalf of 11 BJP MLAs and orders were reserved on their petition.

... One of the counsel for government Satpal Jain later claimed that the court did not not give any stay or relief on the speaker KG Bopaiah's order of disqualification.

कर्नाटकः कोर्ट से नहीं मिली बागी विधायकों को फौरी राहत

आईबीएन-7

Oct 12, 2010: बैंगलोर। कर्नाटक में येदुरप्पा सरकार को लेकर चल रहे सियासी ड्रामे में नया मोड़ आ गया है। हाईकोर्ट से राहत पाने गए 11 बीजेपी विधायकों का केस तो कोर्ट ने सुन लिया लेकिन पांच निर्दलीय विधायक गलती से कोर्ट में ये याचिका दायर कर बैठे कि उन्होंने कभी बीजेपी छोड़ी नहीं है। जब सरकार के वकील ने कोर्ट का ध्यान इस ओर दिलाया तो याचिकाकर्ताओं के वकील ने इसे तकनीकी खामी बताया और सुधार का मौका मांगा। इसपर कोर्ट ने उन्हें 18 अक्टूबर की तारीख दी है। ...

... सरकार के वकील सतपाल जैन ने दावा किया है कि कोर्ट ने अयोग्य करार दिए गए विधायकों को किसी तरह की राहत नहीं दी है और न ही स्पीकर की इस कार्रवाई पर कोई रोक लगाई है।

दरअसल कोर्ट में बीजेपी के 11 विधायकों और पांच स्वतंत्र विधायकों ने अपनी सदस्यता खत्म करने के स्पीकर के फैसले के खिलाफ अलग-अलग याचिका दायर की थी।

... इसके बाद पांच स्वतंत्र विधायकों ने भी याचिका दायर की। उनकी याचिका में भी यही लिखा हुआ था कि उन्होंने बीजेपी छोड़ी नहीं है। इसलिए इनके खिलाफ दलबदल कानून के तहत स्पीकर की कार्रवाई का कोई आधार नहीं है। इसपर सरकार के वकील सतपाल जैन ने कहा कि स्वतंत्र विधायक खुद मान रहे हैं कि उन्होंने बीजेपी छोड़ी नहीं है। इससे साबित होता है कि वे बीजेपी के ही विधायक हैं। इसपर इन विधायकों के वकील ने कहा कि ये सिर्फ एक तकनीकी गलती है और इसे सुधारने की उन्हें इजाजत दी जाए। कोर्ट ने उन्हें 18 अक्टूबर को दोपहर ढाई बजे का वक्त दिया है। बीजेपी के वकील सतपाल जैन ने दावा किया है कि जब तक कोर्ट का फैसला नहीं आ जाता है तब तक इन विधायकों को विश्वास मत के दौरान वोटिंग नहीं करने दी जाएगी। ...

High Court reserves ruling on rebel Karnataka legislators

Mangalorean.com

Bangalore, Oct 12 (IANS) A division bench of the Karnataka High Court Tuesday reserved its judgment on the disqualification of 11 ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators and posted for further hearing the joint writ petition of five disqualified independents to Monday.

... When the contradiction in the oral mistake was brought to the notice of the bench by the state chief minister's counsel Satyapal Jain, the defence counsel sought the permission of the court to re-submit the joint writ petition.

Though the court permitted re-submission of the joint petition, it declined to stay the disqualification, giving no relief to the beleaguered rebels.

On the argument that the speaker did not give the disqualified members seven days to reply to the show-cause notice, Jain clarified that as per the law, the reply had to be "within" seven days and that the Supreme Court had upheld a similar order giving two days in such a case earlier. ...

Governor’s letter to Speaker raises a storm

DH News Service

Bangalore, Oct 10: The Governor H R Bhardwaj’s letter to the Speaker asking him not to alter the configuration of the Assembly has prompted strong reactions in political circles. The ruling BJP has come down heavily on the Governor....

‘Recall the Governor’

Strongly reacting to the Governor’s letter, an apoplectic BJP demanded that the Centre recall the Governor alleging that he had been partisan in his conduct.

...Former MP and senior counsel Satyapal Jain said the Governor cannot interfere in the affairs of the Speaker. ...

Karnataka crisis: Speaker, BJP objects to Governor's 'interference'

Sify News

Bangalore: Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Sunday came in for sharp attack for his 'directive' to the Speaker on the eve of Government's trust vote with the presiding officer calling it an 'interference' with discharge of his duties and BJP accusing him of being a "willing partner" in the opposition move to destabilise the government.

... Satyapal Jain, government counsel termed the letter written by the Governor as "unconstitutional and derogratory, amounting to intervention in the legislature proceedings".

सत्यपाल जैन बेंगलूर रवाना

दैनिक ट्रिब्यून

कर्नाटक के बागी भाजपा विधायकों के विरुद्ध कार्यवाही

मनीमाजरा, 9 अक्तूबर (निस)। शहर के पूर्व सांसद एवं भारतीय जनता पार्टी के कानूनी प्रकोष्ठ के राष्ट्रीय प्रभारी सत्यपाल जैन, भाजपा हाईकमान के आदेश पर आज बैंगलूर के लिये रवाना हो गये। बैंगलूर में कर्नाटक के कुछ बागी भाजपा विधायकों के विरुद्ध दलबदल विरोधी कानून के अंतर्गत चल रही कानूनी कार्यवाही के सम्बन्ध में विचार-विमर्श के लिये पार्टी हाईकमान ने जैन को बेंगलूर में बुलाया है। पंजाब एवं हरियाणा हाईकोर्ट के वरिष्ठ अधिवक्ता जैन, संविधानिक मामलों में विशेष तौर पर दलबदल विरोधी कानून के सम्बन्ध में, देश के प्रमुख वकीलों में जाने जाते हैं। जैन के आज अचानक सुबह बेंगलूर चले जाने के कारण उनके आगामी तीन दिन के चंडीगढ़ में सभी कार्यक्रम रद्द कर दिये गये हैं।

कर्नाटक सरकार संकट, जैन को बंगलूर बुलाया

अर्थ प्रकाश  



शहर में पेड पार्किंग की कोई जरुरत नहीं है

जनसत्ता  

HC sets aside UT order annulling MC resolution on paid parking

Chandigarh Newsline

Oct 03 2010, Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has set aside the order passed by the Chandigarh Administration dated July 17, 2007, by which it had annulled a resolution passed by the Municipal Corporation (MC) to abolish paid parking in Chandigarh. ...

These orders were passed by Justice Vinod Sharma on a writ petition filed by eight BJP-SAD councillors including Harjinder Kaur, G D Kala, Anil Dubey, Ram Lal, Rajesh Bittu, Surinder Jagota, Sunita Choudhary and the late Gurnam Singh, challenging the validity of the Administration’s order.

Satya Pal Jain, Senior Counsel for the petitioner, submitted that the newly elected members of the Municipal Corporation, at the meeting held on March 21, 2007, by passing a resolution decided to abolish paid parking in Chandigarh and urged the Administration to file a Review Petition in the High Court for that. The Administration suspended this resolution on June 11, 2007, and asked the Municipal Corporation to file its reply on the issue within 10 days.

This order came up for consideration before the House on June 28, 2007, in which the Municipal Corporation authorised two of its members to file a reply on its behalf which was actually filed by them on July 28. Jain said that the Administration, however, without awaiting the Municipal Corporation’s reply, annulled this resolution under Section 423 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act. ...

पेड पार्किग पर फैसले से पहले निगम के प्रस्ताव पर हो विचार

भास्कर न्यूज

चंडीगढ़. पंजाब एवं हरियाणा हाईकोर्ट ने प्रशासन के 17 जुलाई 2007 के पेड पार्किग बारे प्रस्ताव को रद्द कर दिया। जिस पर नगर निगम ने 21 मार्च 2007 को रोक लगाने की मंजूरी दी थी। इस पर हाईकोर्ट ने प्रशासन से कहा है कि नगर निगम के पारित प्रस्ताव की एवज में मांगे गए जवाब पर विचार करके सुनवाई का मौका देने पर ही निर्णय लें। इसके लिए प्रशासन दो महीने का समय दिया है।

... इसमें याचिकाकर्ताओं की ओर से सीनियर एडवोकेट सत्यपाल जैन एवं धीरज जैन और प्रशासन की ओर से संजय कौशल, संजीव घई तथा निगम की ओर से लीजा गिल ने पैरवी की। याचिकाकर्ता की ओर से सत्य पाल जैन ने कहा कि 21 मार्च 2007 को चुने गए पार्षदों ने बहुमत से पार्किग समाप्त करने का प्रस्ताव पास किया था। उन्होंने कहा कि प्रशासन ने 21 जून 2007 में उसपर रोक लगाते हुए निगम को 10 दिन के भीतर अपना पक्ष देने को कहा था। उस नोटिस को निगम की 8 जून को हुई मीटिंग में रखा गया। उसमें दो पार्षदों की कमेटी द्वारा जवाब देने को कहा गया। उसका इंतजार किए बिना ही प्रशासन ने 17 जुलाई 2007 को निगम के प्रस्ताव को रद्द कर दिया। जैन ने कहा कि पेड पार्किग हो या नहीं, यह फैसला निगम के अधिकारक्षेत्र में आता है, निगम का जवाब सुने बगैर प्रस्ताव रद्द नहीं किया जा सकता।

अयोध्या फैसले पर भाजपाइयों ने मनाई खुशी

पंजाब केसरी   

City BJP gives thumbs up to Ayodhya verdict

Chandigarh Newsline

Chandigarh: The city unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expressed its happiness over the verdict of the Allahabad High Court on the Ayodhya issue. There were celebrations at the party office in Sector 33.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Satya Pal Jain, in-charge of the Legal Cell of BJP and former MP, said it is a historic day, historic verdict on a historic issue. He said that the campaign was launched by senior leader L K Advani in the eighties for the construction of a Ram temple. It has been proved by the judicial pronouncement that it is the birthplace of Lord Ram. Only Ram temple can be constructed here.

Jain further said that irrespective of religion and caste, people should now come forward for the construction of the Ram temple. ...