Suspension of 18 BJP MLAs revoked

Bengaluru: The government on Sunday revoked the suspension of 18 BJP MLAs, following a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Speaker U.T. Khader. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil, and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, R. Ashoka, according to an official release. A consensus was reached in the meeting to revoke the suspension order. The decision was taken considering that two months had passed since the suspension, the suspended MLAs had expressed regret over their conduct, and had given an assurance that they would ensure better conduct in future Assembly sessions.

Commenting on the development, Ashoka said: "The Speaker had been in touch with us over the matter for the last 15 days. I had also met him several times, and the issue was brought to the notice of the Chief Minister." "Such incidents have occurred many times in the Assembly. Our MLAs had expressed regret for protesting near the Speaker’s Chair. It should have ended there. Suspending them for six months was not a good decision; it set a bad precedent and would have affected future sessions," he added. "Likewise, Deputy CM Shivakumar and Minister Patil also spoke in favour of revoking the suspension. The Speaker, who is set to leave for the Haj pilgrimage on Monday, wanted to make a decision before his departure “Ashoka stated. The 18 BJP MLAs were suspended for six months, with immediate effect, on March 21 on charges of showing disrespect to the Speaker’s Chair.