Karnataka Speaker Again Sets 6pm Trust Vote Deadline; Rebels Seek a Month to Meet Him

The Karnataka Assembly was adjourned late on Monday night without a vote on Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s confidence motion, even after three days of debate, as the Congress and JD(S) pressed for voting to wait for a Supreme Court ruling. Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar then fixed a fresh deadline, saying the discussion would end by 4pm on Tuesday and voting would be completed by 6pm. The rebel MLAs, for their part, sought a month’s time to appear before him.

A stormy Monday

It was 11.45pm when the Speaker finally adjourned the House, having reminded the government several times of its promise to finish the process that day. Neither Kumaraswamy nor Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara was present towards the end, when Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah assured the Speaker that voting could “100 per cent” take place the next day. Earlier, the House was adjourned for nearly two hours as coalition members demanded more time and shouted slogans asking for justice and discussion.

Senior Congress leader HK Patil argued the House was not complete with the rebels confined in Mumbai, and Kumaraswamy said that since two independents had gone to the Supreme Court, more time was needed. He also complained that a forged letter claiming he had resigned was being circulated. Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said a vote without a decision on the resignations would lack sanctity, and accused the BJP of a “systematic effort” to eliminate the opposition. BJP leaders Jagadish Shettar and Madhuswamy urged the Speaker to finish the process that day.

The Speaker ruled that issuing a whip is the right of a legislature party leader, and said he would decide any complaint under the rules. Minister DK Shivakumar warned the rebels that they risked disqualification unless they answered the Speaker’s notice by appearing before him on Tuesday.

Court plea and numbers

The Supreme Court was to hear a plea by two independent MLAs seeking an immediate floor test. Twenty MLAs were absent on Monday: 17 from the ruling side, the two independents, and N Mahesh of the BSP, who backs the government. Of the 16 coalition MLAs who resigned, 13 were from the Congress and three from the JD(S); Ramalinga Reddy later withdrew. The ruling side had 117 members besides the Speaker, while the BJP, with the independents, had 107 in a House of 225. If 15 resignations were accepted or those MLAs stayed away, the coalition would fall to 101.

What happened next

The Kumaraswamy-led coalition government fell in July 2019, and B. S. Yeddyurappa returned as Chief Minister of Karnataka.

See also: JD(S) | State assembly members

Originally published on 23 July 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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