Karnataka BJP accuses Congress of constitutional violation over presiding officer appointments
Synopsis
Karnataka BJP has escalated a constitutional row, alleging that the Congress government violated parliamentary norms by announcing replacements for four legislative presiding officers — Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chairman, and Deputy Chairman — while all incumbents remain in office. BJP says it will take the fight to the floor of the House when the Legislature session opens on 13 August.
Key Takeaways
BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy accused the Karnataka Congress government of a ‘constitutional impropriety’ on 4 August .
Congress announced G.S.
Patil as Speaker, A.S.
Ponnanna as Deputy Speaker, Saleem Ahmed as Legislative Council Chairperson, and Umashree as Deputy Chairperson.
All four incumbent presiding officers continue to hold office and have not resigned.
Incumbent Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti was not consulted before the announcement, according to the BJP.
BJP says there is no precedent for such an announcement since Independence and will raise the issue in the Legislature session beginning 13 August .
Narayanaswamy also alleged internal discord within Congress, citing Siddaramaiah 's reported absence from the Cabinet swearing-in.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, on Tuesday, 4 August accused the state Congress government of committing a “constitutional impropriety” by publicly announcing names for the posts of Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chairman, and Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council — even though none of those positions is currently vacant.
The Appointments in Question
The Congress high command, alongside its recently announced Cabinet expansion, approved names for key legislative posts in Karnataka. Senior Congress leader G.S. Patil has been nominated as Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, with A.S. Ponnanna named as Deputy Speaker. For the Legislative Council, Saleem Ahmed has been approved as Chairperson and Umashree as Deputy Chairperson.
Crucially, the incumbents holding all four posts have neither resigned nor been removed through any prescribed constitutional process. The current Legislative Council Chairman, Basavaraj Horatti, continues in office, as do the existing presiding officers of the Legislative Assembly.
BJP's Constitutional Objection
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Narayanaswamy argued that names for such constitutional offices can only be decided on the floor of the House after the relevant posts formally fall vacant — either through resignation or removal via a no-confidence motion.
“The Congress frequently claims to protect the Constitution by carrying a copy of it everywhere. Yet it is the same party that has violated constitutional norms by announcing names for these posts,” he alleged.
He further stated that no such announcement had been made in Karnataka's legislative history since Independence — not during the tenures of former Chief Ministers H.D. Deve Gowda, Ramakrishna Hegde, or B.S. Yediyurappa. Narayanaswamy also noted that a no-confidence motion against a presiding officer had been brought only once in the past — against former Legislative Council Chairman Shankaramurthy — and that he had survived it.
Embarrassment to Incumbent Chairman
Narayanaswamy alleged that the Congress had not even extended the courtesy of a meeting with incumbent Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti before making the announcement public, calling it a move that had caused him personal embarrassment and hurt the sentiments of Legislative Council members.
“If Horatti had resigned, there would have been no issue in announcing another name. But he continues to hold office, and no one has seen such an announcement since Independence,” he said.
He demanded that the Congress apologise to the people of Karnataka and to the Legislature for what he termed a democratic betrayal.
Cabinet Expansion Discord Cited
Beyond the presiding officer controversy, Narayanaswamy also trained his fire on the Congress over its recent Cabinet expansion, alleging that repeated changes to the ministers’ list reflected deep confusion within the ruling party. He pointed to the reported absence of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from the swearing-in ceremony as evidence of serious internal differences.
“The manner in which the Cabinet expansion took place is evident from the fact that several leaders who were denied ministerial berths are now threatening to resign,” he alleged.
What Happens Next
Narayanaswamy announced that the BJP would formally raise the constitutional objection during the Karnataka Legislature session beginning 13 August. BJP Legislative Council Chief Whip N. Ravikumar, BJP MLC C.T. Ravi, and Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) Legislature Party leader in the Council S.L. Bhojegowda were also present at the press conference. “The Congress has taken a wrong step. This is a betrayal of democratic traditions, and we will strongly oppose it in the House,” he said.
Point of View
At minimum, a political misstep that hands the opposition a legitimate grievance. What is less clear is whether this reflects Congress overconfidence in its Karnataka majority or a deliberate signal to incumbents to step aside — a pressure tactic dressed as an administrative announcement. The absence of any courtesy outreach to Chairman Horatti, a detail the BJP has weaponised effectively, suggests the high command moved too fast. With the Legislature session opening on 13 August, this controversy gives a resurgent Karnataka BJP its most constitutionally grounded line of attack since the government was formed.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the constitutional objection raised by the Karnataka BJP?
The BJP argues that the Congress government violated constitutional norms by publicly announcing names for the posts of Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chairman, and Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka Legislature while all four incumbents still hold office and have not resigned. Under constitutional convention, such appointments can only be made on the floor of the House after a post formally falls vacant.
Who has Congress named for the legislative presiding officer posts in Karnataka?
Congress has nominated G.S. Patil as Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, A.S. Ponnanna as Deputy Speaker, Saleem Ahmed as Legislative Council Chairperson, and Umashree as Deputy Chairperson. These announcements were made alongside the Cabinet expansion.
Who is the current Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman?
Basavaraj Horatti is the incumbent Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council. He continues to hold office and, according to BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, was not consulted before Congress announced his replacement.
When will the BJP raise this issue in the Legislature?
BJP leader Narayanaswamy announced that the party will formally raise the constitutional objection during the Karnataka Legislature session beginning 13 August. The BJP has also demanded a public apology from Congress to the people of Karnataka and to the Legislature.
Is there any historical precedent for such an announcement in Karnataka?
According to Narayanaswamy, no such announcement has been made since Independence — not during the tenures of former Chief Ministers H.D. Deve Gowda, Ramakrishna Hegde, or B.S. Yediyurappa. He also noted that a no-confidence motion against a presiding officer has been brought only once in Karnataka's legislative history.
