The Supreme Court has ruled that the 15 dissident MLAs in Karnataka “ought not to be compelled to participate in the proceedings of the ongoing session” of the Assembly. The rebels thanked the Supreme Court for “allowing us to abstain”, suggesting they were viewing the court order as protection from the anti-defection law. The reaction from the rebel camp and the BJP suggested they were reading the court order differently. Yeddyurappa, whose party has been saying it has nothing to do with the Karnataka shenanigans, as saying the court order was a “moral victory” for the rebels. Some split hairs on what the Supreme Court may have had in mind when it mentioned compulsion.

Source: The Telegraph July 17, 2019 21:07 UTC