Meet Karnataka Assembly Speaker at 6pm today: Supreme Court directs rebel Karnataka MLAs

The Supreme Court of India on Thursday directed 10 rebel Congress-JDS MLAs of Karnataka to meet state Assembly Speaker in the evening today and serve their resignation if "they wish to do so".

"Meet the Karnataka Assembly Speaker at 6 pm today and submit their resignations if they so wish." the top court stated, adding that, "security would be provided to the MLAs." State DGP has been directed to provide protection to all the rebel MLAs.

The apex court also noted that the Karnataka Speaker will have to take a call on the issue in remaining part the day. 

The matter has been posted for next hearing on July 12. 

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy will be holding a cabinet meeting at Vidhan Soudha in Bangalore today. 

Karnataka Water Minister returned to Bangalore on Wednesday from Mumbai late in the evening after he was detained by Mumbai Police and not allowed to meet the rebel MLAs who are currently lodged at a Mumbai hotel.

Shivakumar said it was a "matter of shame" that he was "forcefully deported" back to Bangalore.

"Mumbai is known for its hospitality. I had booked a room there and was on an official visit to meet my friends and colleagues, but BJP and officials misused their authority. It's a matter of shame," Shivakumar told ANI.

On Thursday, Shivakumar expressed hope that the MLAs will be with the coalition and take back their resignation. 

"We have confidence that the MLAs will be with us. I hope they will come back and withdraw their resignation," he told reporters today. 

The 13-month old Congress-JD(S) government slumped into crisis following the resignation of 10 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly last week.