Bengaluru: Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala on Friday appointed BJP legislator K G Bopaiah as Karnataka Assembly's pro-tem speaker for administering oath to all newly elected legislators on Saturday ahead of the floor test directed by the Supreme Court, a party official said.
"The governor appointed and administered the oath to Bopaiah as the pro-tem Speaker at the Raj Bhavan," BJP spokesman Vamanacharya told IANS here.
Bopaiah, 62, is a three-time legislator from Virajpet seat in Kodagu region, 260 km from Bengaluru. He was speaker during the Bharatiya Janata Party rule in the state from 2008-13.
All newly-elected legislators will be administered oath in the Assembly premises.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court ordered the floor test in Assembly at 4 pm on Saturday.
In the May 12 elections held in 222 constituencies across the state, 104 seats were won by the BJP, Congress (78), JD-S (37), one by independent, one by Bahujan Samaj Party and one by regional Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party.
Though the JD-S won 37 seats, its effective strength is 36 since its state president H D Kumaraswamy won from Channapatna and Ramanagara segments but has only one vote.
Congress moves top court against pro-tem speaker appointment
The Congress-JD (S) combine on Friday approached the Supreme Court challenging Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala's decision to appoint K G Bopaiah as the pro tem Speaker of the assembly to conduct the crucial floor test on Saturday.
According to sources, the petition was placed before a registrar of the apex court but some defects were pointed out in the plea.
"Some defects have been pointed out to us and we are curing those defects," one of lawyers, associated with the development, said.
He said they have questioned the governor's decision, as BJP MLA Bopaiah was not the senior-most legislature and the governor should not have appointed him as the pro tem (temporary) speaker.
Pro tem is a Latin phrase which best translates to for the time being or temporary. Usually, the senior most member is selected for this post.
(With inputs from IANS/PTI)