Bhardwaj said Constitutional mechanism had broken down due to tampering with the composition of the Legislative Assembly in an “unconstitutional manner”, an obvious reference to the disqualification of 16 MLAs by Speaker K G Bopaiah on October 10 last ahead of the trust vote faced by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa which has now been quashed by Supreme Court.
Bhardwaj in a letter to the Speaker ahead of the legislature session had advised him to maintain status quo on composition and character of the Assembly.
Bopaiah had taken exception to this saying it was interference by the Governor in discharge of his duties and went ahead with his order disqualifying 16 MLAs.
“The intervention of the Article 356 (1) of the Constitution is called for whenever there is breakdown of constitutional mechanism in the state,” Bhardwaj said defending his May 15 special report to the Centre recommending dismissal of the BJP Government.