Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Oct 15: The bypoll necessitated by the disqualification of MLAs who had resigned, was postponed once. There is a likelihood of this bypoll getting deferred again.

17 MLAs had resigned from both the Congress and the JD(S), thus rocking the coalition government. The election commission had initially fixed October 21 as the date for holding the bypoll to fill 15 vacancies. Later, because the disqualified legislators had questioned the assembly speaker's decision, the election commission had postponed the election date to December 5. As the petitions of the disqualified legislators are still in the stage of the hearing, the bypoll is expected to be adjourned once again, as the likelihood of the court decision being announced within a few days is remote.

The election commission has not yet issued notification relating to the December 5 bypoll. It has to issue notification 45 days before the election, after which code of conduct regulations come into force. Hearing of the case is scheduled in a week, and if the election commission brings out a notification, the disqualified legislators are sure to approach Supreme Court with a request for a stay. In such a scenario, as per the earlier order, the Supreme Court might ask the commission to postpone the bypoll till the case is decided.

The BJP, in the meantime, is said to have decided against announcing its nominees for the 15 seats for which byploll will be held, till the petitions before the Supreme Court are decided. Arguments and counter-arguments in the cases are over, and it has to be seen whether the three-judge bench will refer the case to constitution bench or come out with final order.

In the meantime, MTB Nagaraj, mocked at Siddaramaiah, saying that the former chief minister has been day-dreaming of a mid-term poll. He said that Siddarmaaiah, who had said that he would defeat Nagaraj in the latter's constituency, had already faced defeat in Chamundeshwari constituency, "No one can defeat me in my constituency," he stated.

Congress and JD(S) have been holding meetings and begun preparations for the bypoll but the BJP has been waiting for the Supreme Court verdict. If the Supreme Court dismisses the order of the speaker, the BJP may nominate them for the bypoll. Party leaders, Yediyurappa, national organizing secretary, B L Santhosh, state president, Nalin Kumar Kateel etc have assured the disqualified legislators of issuing party tickets. They have, besides, promised not to let them down even if the judgement is adverse.