News18 Daybreak | Karnataka Speaker Disqualifies 3 Rebel MLAs and Other Stories You Need to Watch Out For

KARNATAKA
Two days after the collapse of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance government in the state, Karnataka Assembly speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Thursday disqualified three rebel Congress MLAs under the anti-defection law, in a move that heightened the suspense over the exercise of government formation.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Kumar held that the resignation by the three MLAs — Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumathalli and R Shankar — were "not voluntary and genuine". As a result, he proceeded to disqualify them under the anti-defection law with immediate effect till the end of the term of the current House in 2023.

The Speaker made it clear that Jarkiholi, Kumatalli and Shankar, disqualified under the anti-defection law, will be unable to contest or get elected till the end of the term of the present House.

The 14-month-old Congress-JDS coalition government headed by HD Kumaraswamy collapsed on Tuesday after losing the vote of confidence in the Assembly, bringing to an end the three-week long power struggle triggered by the raft of resignations.

Kumar's pronouncement of the ruling on the disqualification pleas by the Congress and the JDS as well as the MLAs’ resignations in a phased manner is being seen as a tough message to other rebels, who are still holed in a Mumbai hotel and have remained adamant about not taking back their resignations.

 

 

The Right to Information (RTI) bill seeking significant changes to the transparency law has passed the Rajya Sabha test despite the opposition's objections, with the government bringing the fence-sitters on board. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly spoke to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the support of his Biju Janata Dal (BJD). 

A motion by the opposition to send the amendment to a select committee for greater scrutiny was negated by 117 members voting against it opposed to 75 voting in its favour.

The Congress, following a ruckus in the House after voting on whether to send the amendment to a select committee, had walked out of the Rajya Sabha. The proposed law was then passed through voice vote.

The RTI bill provoked sharp exchanges in the House on Thursday, with the opposition demanding that it be referred to a select committee. The proposed law was passed on Monday in the Lok Sabha, where the government enjoys a majority.

The Congress and other opposition parties had resolved in a meeting to demand in the Rajya Sabha that seven of 16 pending bills, including the RTI Amendment Bill, be sent to a select committee.

The RTI changes will allow the government to decide the tenure, salary, allowances and other terms of service of the Information Commissioners at the centre and states.

Opposition parties, which have termed the amendment the "RTI Elimination Bill", argue that authorising the government to take a call on the employment and pay of RTI authorities will take away their independence.

 

 

The contentious bill that would criminalise instant triple talaq was passed by the Lok Sabha today after a day-long heated battle that also witnessed a walkout by BJP ally Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United. The JDU, which has maintained it was against the bill, today said such a law would create a "lack of trust in the society". Two other opposition parties - the Congress and the Trinamool Congress - walked out after the vote. The bill was passed by a division of 302 votes in favour and 78 against.

The bill now faces the Rajya Sabha test. Most of the fence-sitters who sided with the government today in the Rajya Sabha over amendments to the landmark Right to Information Act, have said they oppose the bill on Triple Talaq.

Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal and Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress earlier declared that they would object to the bill in the Rajya Sabha.

The new law provides for a jail term for Muslim men who can get an instant divorce by uttering "Talaq" thrice, which the opposition say is unacceptable and want the bill to be referred to a select parliamentary committee for further scrutiny.  

The government contends that the bill is vital for promoting gender equity. Central ministers have gone public saying it is tied to the Prime Minister's new motto of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas".

 

Azam Khan, the Samajwadi Party lawmaker notorious for running his mouth, on Thursday struck parliament with a sexist comment directed at the Chair during a debate on the government's bill to ban instant triple talaq. The Lok Sabha erupted with demands for Azam Khan's apology even as Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav defended him.

BJP parliamentarian Rama Devi, the officiating Speaker, was offended at Azam Khan's comments to her. Next to him, Akhilesh Yadav, who has been away for most of the session, grinned but said nothing.

Rama Devi said: "This is not the way to speak to a woman. Expunge your remarks."

Attempting to clarify, Azam Khan said: "You are my sister, bahut pyari behen (very sweet sister). I have had a long political career, it is not possible for me to say anything bad. If there is a single unparliamentary word in what I said, then I declare my resignation from parliament."

Akhilesh Yadav, who stood up to defend his party lawmaker, faced cries of "shame" from the ruling party. "I don't think Azam Khan meant any disrespect to the chair," he said, and then hit out at the BJP for heckling him. "They are badtameez (insolent) These people are so ill-behaved and they point fingers at us?"

Speaker Om Prakash Birla, who was presiding at the time, told Akhilesh Yadav it was he who needed to apologise for using an unparliamentary word.

As Azam Khan rose to speak on the "Triple Talaq" bill, the cries of "shame" became louder. All the Samajwadi members in the house then walked out in protest.

 

Sachin Ahir

Ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Mumbai chief Sachin Ahir joined the Shiv Sena Thursday. Ahir joined the Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya Thackeray.

Ahir said, “Some unavoidable political decisions had to be taken considering the prevailing situation.”

Ahir said Aditya Thackeray told him that the Shiv Sena needed leaders like him, who were “well-versed in urban politics”

Ahir, who was part of the Sharad Pawar-led party since its formation in 1999, represented Shivdi Assembly seat in Mumbai from 1999 to 2009. He was later elected from Worli after delimitation of constituencies. In 2014, he lost the Assembly seat to Shiv Sena’s Sunil Shinde.​