The Supreme Court on Thursday asked 10 rebel MLAs of Karnataka to meet the state governor Vajubhai Vala and tender their resignation if they wish by 6 pm today.

The bench comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta, Aniruddha Bose also requested the Speaker of the Karnataka assembly to a decision and communicate the same to the court.

The bench also ordered the DGP of Karnataka to provide protection to all the rebel MLAs and postponed the hearing for tomorrow.

Earlier, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the petitioners said that there are almost 15 MLAs who are willing to resign. How can the speaker not accept their resignations? Normally people resign and withdraw but here they are all willing to resign but the Governor is not accepting their resignations.

The petitioners, 15 rebel MLAs of the Karnataka assembly had approached the apex court yesterday alleging that the Speaker was not discharging his statutory duty and intentionally postponing the admittance of their resignations submitted with him since Saturday.

The petitioners had sought early hearing on their petition.

—India Legal Bureau