New Delhi, July 17 (TIWN) The Congress on Wednesday described the Supreme Court order stating that 15 party Karnataka MLAs who have tendered their resignation cannot be compelled to participate in the proceedings of the House as a "terrible judicial precedent".

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said 15 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs in Karnataka "ought not" to be compelled to participate in the proceedings of the ongoing session of the state Assembly and should be given the option of either taking part or staying out of it. 

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar will decide on the resignation of the 15 MLAs within the time-frame considered appropriate by him. 

"SC's order nullifying the whip & by extension, operation of Constitution's Xth Schedule to punish MLAs betraying the public mandate, sets a terrible judicial precedent!" Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a series of tweets. 

"Blanket protection to MLAs, who are driven not by ideology but by far baser concerns, is unheard-of," he said. 

He also wondered whether the verdict means the court can interfere with the working of the state legislature by deciding when a whip will be enforced and whether the basic structure doctrine of separation of powers had been abandoned.