Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s coalition government in Karnataka lost the trust vote. While the Congress-JD(S) combine got 99 votes, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 105, according to ANI.
Earlier, replying to the confidence motion debate, Kumaraswamy had said he was ready to “sacrifice” his post happily.
He also said he had no intention to drag the trust vote and added, “I apologise to the Speaker and the people of the state.”
Section 144 has been imposed in Bengaluru for 48 hours, starting from 6 pm on Tuesday. All bars and wine shops will remain closed and anyone found in violation will be punished, ANI quoted Bengaluru Police Commissioner Alok Kumar as saying.
Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar had on Tuesday expressed displeasure over near empty treasury benches as the House took up the debate on Kumaraswamy’s motion of confidence for the fourth day running.
The treasury benches were occupied only by a couple of legislators when the House, which is expected to complete the trust vote process by Tuesday, met in the morning after a prolonged drama that last almost till midnight on Monday.
“Should this be the fate of the speaker or the assembly,” Kumar asked minister Priyank Kharge. “You will lose credibility, leave alone strength,” he told him.
The speaker made it clear Monday night before adjourning the House that voting on the confidence motion would be completed by 6 pm on Tuesday and would not be deferred under any circumstances.
The ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition members had forced the speaker to adjourn the House, despite repeated reminders by him that they had given a commitment to complete the trust vote process on Monday itself.
The ruling coalition defied the two deadlines set by Governor Vajubhai Vala — to complete the process by 1.30 pm on Friday and later by the end of the day.
The proceedings were adjourned till Monday after the speaker extracted a commitment from the government that the process would be completed by Monday itself.
(With PTI inputs)