BENGALURU: While it was marred by sloganeering, allegations and counter-allegations, apart from members raising issues absolutely irrelevant to the motion of confidence, the Karnataka assembly also saw a sound debate on the role of the Governor, and infringement of institutions on each other’s roles.

Governor Vajubhai Vala has so far sent three communications to the government – a message to the Speaker on Thursday, a directive to the chief minister on Thursday evening, and yet another directive to prove majority by the end of day on Friday. 

Minister Krishna Byre Gowda’s speech on the role of the governor, citing various Supreme Court judgments, became the highlight of the day’s debate, that gained more strength with BJP’s Madhuswamy and Basavaraj Bommai countering the claims. 

“In the SR Bommai case, the Supreme Court said the governor can ask for a trust vote, and a week’s time can be given to prove majority. However, the situation today is different. Had he asked for the vote of confidence, then the governor had the power to set a time limit, but here, the chief minister has already moved the motion and the House is discussing it, making it a property of the House. When the Speaker is overseeing it, can such a recommendation that infringes upon our rights be accepted?” asked Gowda. 

BJP members insisted that the governor reserves the right.

“The Speaker, session and government are different entities. If the governor doesn’t have confidence in the government, he reserves the right to seek that the government proves its majority. The onus is on the government. The letter given to the chief minister is a direction to the government. It is different from the letter given by the Speaker,” Madhuswamy of the BJP said. 

The question ultimately raised by the coalition was whether the BJP was misusing the governor’s office, that led to uproar in the House.

“If there is a collision between institutions then it leads to despotism. Many efforts are being made to subvert democracy,” Gowda said.