The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked Kumaraswamy to step down, claiming that his government has lost the majority.
The stage is set for a major political showdown starting Thursday in the wake of a spate of resignations threatening the existence of the coalition government in Karnataka.
To this end, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Alok Kumar has issued prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, restricting the gathering of more than five persons and any form of protests within the two-km area around the Vidhana Soudha.
The police commissioner issued the orders on Wednesday night, taking into account intelligence inputs.
The prohibitory orders came into effect on Thursday when Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is scheduled to chair a cabinet meeting in the backdrop of 16 MLAs, including Housing Minister M T B Nagaraj, resigning and two Independent legislators -- R Shankar and H Nagesh -- withdrawing support to the Congress-JD(S) coalition government on Wednesday.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR
Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar is yet to accept the resignations of the MLAs. Kumar has said he has to first hear the legislators. He has also pointed out that of the 16 resignations of the MLAs, only five were in the proper format.
The developments surfaced well ahead of the Assembly session starting Friday.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked Kumaraswamy to step down, claiming that his government has lost the majority.
The saffron party has also urged the governor to step in following the crisis.
HERE ARE THE LIVE UPDATES ON THE KARNATAKA CRISIS:
11:20 am: Supreme Court asks rebel MLAs to meet Speaker and submit resignations at 6 pm
The Supreme Court says Karnataka Speaker has to take a decision in remaining part the day. The Court also ordered the DGP of Karnataka to provide protection to all the rebel MLAs and adjourned the hearing for tomorrow (July 12). https://t.co/ih2fE1AKR3
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019
10:52 am: Shivakumar to go the legal way.
#Karnataka Min&Congress leader DK Shivakumar at Kumara Krupa Guest House in Bengaluru: Since the hotel ppl in Mumbai y'day rejected my reservation after making me stand for hrs together,I've asked my legal ppl to look into it. I'll have to take a legal remedy to protect my rights pic.twitter.com/dDXxpWQKbH
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019
10:45 am: Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Anand Sharma protest in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi tells ANI, "We are protesting against Karnataka and Goa issue."
08:00 am: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has called a Cabinet meeting today and it is speculated he may propose to dissolve state assembly