The Supreme Court today refused to stay BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa's swearing-in as Karnataka Chief Minister after a rare pre-dawn hearing which saw the Congress-JD (S) combine making a last-ditch attempt to stall the saffron party's surge in the southern state.
Following are the highlights of the Supreme Court order refusing to stay the swearing-in of BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa in Karnataka:
* A bench of Justices A K Sikri, S A Bobde and Ashok Bhushan was specially convened at "odd hours" to hear the petition which challenges the Governor Vajubhai Vala's communication to Yeddyurappa to be sworn in as CM.
* The bench noted that it is necessary to peruse the letters dated May 15 and May 16 submitted by Yeddyurappa to Governor for claiming stake for government formation.
* It requested Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre and Yeddyurappa to produce these letters on next hearing tomorrow at 10.30 am.
* The court made it clear that its order allowing swearing-in and government formation by the BJP in Karnataka is subject to the outcome of the case before it.
* It also issued notices to the Karnataka government and Yeddyurappa as it was clarified by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi that he was appearing for three BJP MLAs -- Govind M Karjol, C M Udasi and Basavaraj Bommai.