Petitions want ex-MLAs to be disqualified

The high court on Wednesday admitted two petitions, which requested it to direct the election commission to disqualify former MLAs, Ramachandra and KM Narayanswamy from contesting the by-elections from Jagalur and Bangarpet constituencies, respectively.

The elections to these two constituencies were necessitated after Ramachandra and Narayanswamy resigned from their respective posts earlier.

The petitioners’ advocates KN Praveen Kumar and Dharmpal contended that both the MLAs had resigned from their posts to escape disqualification under the anti-defection law, without any valid reason. Now, they were again contesting the by-elections to enter the same legislative assembly that was constituted in 2008.

The by-elections were an outcome of their resignation, which was unconstitutional.

The petitioners requested the court to direct the election commission to disqualify them from contesting, besides recovering the costs incurred for conducting the by-elections.