Bengaluru: Appointed as the Pro-tem speaker in Karnataka Assembly, BJP legislator K.G. Bopaiah ahead of ‘vote of confidence’, had in 2010 gained Supreme Court’s wrath over being ‘biased’. The SC had said, “Not only did the speaker’s actions amount to denial of the principles of natural justice to the Appellant, but it also reveals partisan train the speaker’s approach,” says The Quint report.
In a questionable move, the then Speaker Bopaiah, who will be again given some crucial powers for today’s floor test, had then disqualified 11 BJP MLAs and 5 Independents, adds the report. The matter went to the Supreme Court on 13 May 2011 and the court had said: “The procedure adopted by the Speaker seems to indicate that he was trying to meet the time schedule set by the Governor for the trial of strength in the Assembly and to ensure that the appellants and the other independent MLAs stood disqualified prior to the date on which the floor was to be held.”
Also Read: Congress moves SC over appointment of Bopaiah as pro tem speaker
The Congress criticised the appointment of Bopaiah as the speaker and soon after his appointment, lawyers representing Congress reached the registrar office of the Supreme Court on Friday, wherein they sought an urgent hearing on his appointment. The petition claimed that the appointment of pro-tem speaker was completely unconstitutional and illegal.
As per the standard practice, the Governor elects the senior most member as the Speaker. This time, no reason was ascribed for departing from the said convention, and Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R. Vala on Friday appointed Bopaiah ahead of floor test, that is scheduled on Saturday at 4 pm.