BANGALORE: Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Krishna's decision to serve notices on eight breakaway Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs as to why they should not be disqualified under the anti-defection laws appears to be in the context of Thursday's elections to the Legislative Council from the Legislative Assembly.

The Speaker's action has raised the party's confidence about getting its four candidates elected.

Sources in the Assembly Secretariat told The Hindu that the notices seeking an explanation from the eight members, including former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, were sent by Speed Post on Tuesday, and the contents of the notice were kept secret. It was said that the Speaker had, on a complaint from chairman of the Janata Dal (S) Parliamentary Board D. Manjunath, sought an explanation from the eight members under the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution, which deals with defections. The party had demanded that the eight members be disqualified from the Legislative Assembly as they were aligned with another political party.

The Speaker's notice and the whip issued to Janata Dal (S) legislators might help the party keep the rebel members under check. As the elections are being held by secret ballot, the whip will come in handy to supplement the evidence against those who indulge in cross-voting. The Janata Dal (S) is keen to win the fourth seat, and if the Siddaramaiah group comes in the way, it will have to pay the price of losing membership of the Assembly.

Going by the numerical strength of each party in the 12th Legislative Assembly, the Congress can win three seats comfortably, the Bharatiya Janata Party four and the Janata Dal (Secular) three with some difficulty since it is short of two votes for the third candidate.

The party which succeeds in securing the support of a majority of the 13 independents will win the 11th seat. The Congress has the support of four of them.

`Whip not applicable'

Mysore Staff Correspondent reports:

All-India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD) leader Siddaramaiah said here on Wednesday the Janata Dal (Secular) whip to its MLAs to vote for the party candidates in the Legislative Council elections would lead to the disqualification of members only if it was violated during proceedings in the House. "It does not apply to elections to the Legislative Council from the Legislative Assembly, which are held outside the House," Mr. Siddaramaiah said. He said the polling was by secret ballot. "Nobody can prove in whose favour a particular member cast his vote," said Mr. Siddaramaiah, who heads the rebel group of Janata Dal (S) MLAs which may vote in favour of the Congress's fourth candidate, V.R. Sudarshan.

"I have read the rules carefully. The whip pertains to a members' conduct inside the House," he said.

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