<span style="color: #222222;">The Supreme Court today agreed to hear the plea of 17 disqualified Karnataka MLAs who are seeking to contest by-polls for 15 Assembly seats in the state.<br />''<br />''A three-judge bench headed by Justice N V Ramana said it would hear on 25th of September the plea in which the disqualified MLAs have sought interim relief to contest the by-elections.<br />''<br />''Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the disqualified MLAs, told the bench that as per disqualification orders of the then Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, these persons cannot contest elections for the remaining period of this Assembly which will end in 2023.<br />''<br />''Meanwhile, the counsel representing Election Commission, told the bench that by-polls for 15 vacant Assembly seats have been notified and court should not stay the elections.<br />''<br />''The EC's counsel also said the Speaker's order disqualifying these MLAs cannot deprive them of their right to contest by-polls.</span><br />