Two Karnataka Independent MLAs to move SC seeking conduct of floor test on Monday: Lawyer
New Delhi, Jul 21: Two Independent MLAs, who withdrew support to the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka, are going to move the Supreme Court seeking a direction for conducting a floor test forthwith in the state Assembly, their lawyer said.
Independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh said the state has plunged into a political crisis after they withdrew their support to the government and 16 lawmakers of the ruling coalition tendered their resignation.
In their petition, which is likely to be mentioned on Monday, Shankar and Nagesh have sought a direction to the H D Kumaraswamy-led government to hold the floor test on or before 5 pm on July 22, the lawyer said.
"It is submitted that the trust vote is not being conducted despite the government being in minority. It is submitted that a minority government, which does not have the confidence of the majority, is being allowed to continue in office," the Independent legislators said in their plea.
"The petitioners have been constrained to invoke the extraordinary jurisdiction of this court under Article 32 of the Constitution of India seeking a direction from this court to conduct a floor test forthwith in the Karnataka Assembly," according to the plea.
The plea is likely to be mentioned on July 22 for urgent listing.
The Independent MLAs petition came two days after Karnataka Chief Minister Kumaraswamy and state Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao moved the top court accusing Governor Vajubhai Vala of interfering with the assembly's proceedings during the debate on trust vote.
Kumaraswamy and Rao had filed separate applications after the deadlines set by the governor to conclude the proceedings of the confidence motion were not met.
They had also sought a clarification of the July 17 order of the apex court by which the 15 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs were granted relief that they cannot be compelled to participate in the ongoing assembly proceedings.
All the petitions are moved at a time when the Karnataka Assembly is debating the confidence motion moved by Kumaraswamy.
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India delivers first batch of BrahMos missiles to Philippines
New Delhi, Apr 19: India on Friday delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines, in reflection of the growing military ties between the two countries amid China's military muscle-flexing in the South China Sea.
The supplies came over two years India signed a USD 375 million deal with the Southeast Asian nation to supply the weapon systems.
A C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) transported the missile and the launchers to the Philippines for the country's marine forces, official sources said.
Under the January 2022 deal, India will supply three batteries of the missiles, their launchers and related equipment.
It was the first export of the BrahMos missile by India.
A few other countries including Argentina have also shown interest in procuring BrahMos missiles from India.
BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.
India has been looking at further expanding defence ties with the Philippines against the backdrop of growing global concerns over China's increasing military assertiveness in the South China Sea.
Both India and the Philippines have been emphasising the need for peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea and for adherence to international law, especially the UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea).
The twin sides are also favouring implementation of an arbitral award by a UN court on the South China Sea.
The UN's Permanent Court of Arbitration, adjudicating the Philippines' case against China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, ruled in favour of Manila. However, China refused to accept the verdict.
There have been growing global concerns over China's sweeping claims of sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons.
Several countries in the region including Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei, have counterclaims.
As part of efforts to boost military ties with the Philippines, India has decided to post a defence attache to that country along with Ethiopia, Mozambique, Poland and Ivory Coast.
Watch | #BrahMos supersonic cruise Missiles delivered to the Philippines by India today
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) April 19, 2024
The two countries had signed a deal worth USD 375 million in 2022 pic.twitter.com/Fx6aaGMk2n
