Update at 20:57 pm: 

WATCH: Karnataka CM-designate Kumaraswamy Thanks Sonia & Rahul Gandhi And Says He's Not Scared Of The BJP

Update at 18:05 pm: 

READ | Here's Kumaraswamy's Karnataka Cabinet Wishlist And Here's Why It'll Make Yeddyurappa Happy

Update at 17:44 pm: First picture of Yeddyurappa offering his resignation to the Karnataka Governor:

Update at 17:30 pm: 

WATCH: Silent On Karnataka For Days, Rahul Gandhi Surfaces After Yeddyurappa Resigns. Here's What He Had To Say

Update at 16:40 pm: We are waiting for invitation from the Governor's House: JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy on being asked when he will take oath as Chief Minister

Update at 16:37 pm: 

Update at 16:34 pm: Governor's decision was a blot on India's democratic history - Siddaramaiah

Update at 16:32 pm: I am not in a hurry. This is a victory of the people. We will have this government for five years. Congress and JD(S) will form a government that is stable - HD Kumaraswamy

Update at 16:30 pm: 

Update at 16:29 pm: Rule of law has won - Siddaramaiah

Update at 16:28 pm: This is a historic moment in Indian politics - Siddaramaiah

Update at 16:26 pm:

Update at 16:24 pm: None of our MLAs have defected. We are 117 against 104 of BJP. I would also like to thank and congratulate judiciary and Supreme Court who once again rose to the occasion and brought the date from 15 days to 1 day after the Karnataka Governor had given time to break our party and do horse-trading - Ghulam Nabi Azad

Update at 16:20 pm:

Update at 16:17 pm: Yeddyurappa reaches Raj Bhavan to submit his resignation

Update at 16:16 pm:

Update at 16:12 pm: 

Update at 16:11 pm: 

Update at 16:10 pm: 

Update at 16:05 pm: Yeddyurappa resigns as Karnataka Chief Minister. To go to Governor

Update at 16:01 pm: Will win over 150 seats in the next election -Yeddyurappa

Update at 16:00 pm: I will win all the Karnataka seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and give them as a gift to PM Modi -Yeddyurappa

Update at 15:57 pm: I promise that I will fight for the rights and welfare of my farmers and the weak till my last breath. My whole life has been a constant fight. I will continue to fight for what is right - Yeddyurappa

Update at 15:56 pm: Despite having freedom for so long, we still have water problems. We have drinking water problems in the cities and in the rural areas, the farmers are in distress - Yeddyurappa

Update at 15:55 pm: "I will serve the farmers till my last breath" - Yeddyurappa

Update at 15:54 pm: The people of the state, especially the farmers, who are frustrated need justice. They need to live with pride, and dignity and self-respect. I want to give confidence to the people of the state with this Assembly - Yeddyurappa

Update at 15:52 pm: BJP is the single largest party and that's why the Governor gave us the opportunity to form the govt - Yeddyurappa

Update at 15:51 pm: Over 35,000 farmers committed suicide, the lives of farmers need to be taken care of, our entire campaign was focused on farmers - Yeddyurappa

Update at 15:49 pm: From 40 MLAs, BJP went up to 104 MLAs. The mandate was against the Congress and JD(S) - Yeddyurappa

Update at 15:48 pm: I haven't seen this kind of love and affection of people before that I have seen during this election. The people of Karnataka voted for BJP - Yeddyurappa

Update at 15: 44 pm: Yeddyurappa speaks inside the Vidhana Soudha

Update at 15.36 pm: Amit Shah leaves the decision on a potential resignation to Yeddyurappa

Update at 15.22 pm: HD Kumaraswamy will be the CM, Yeddyurappa is resigning: JD(S) Sources

Update at 15.18 pm: BJP MLA SR Vishwanath tried to pull Pratap Gowda Patil towards BJP side inside the assembly, saying, "Come with us." 

Update at 15.14 pm: Yeddyurappa meets pro-tem speaker KG Bopaiah

Update at 15.12 pm: Ahead of the floor test, Yeddyurappa has a 12+ page-long speech ready

Update ar 15.11 pm: "Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi call up Ashok Gehlot and Ghulam Nabi Azad before the trust vote," claim Congress sources.

Update at 15.06 pm: "Short of 2 MLAs to cross the magic number," claim BJP sources.

Update at 15.02 pm: "BJP denies reports of Yeddyurappa's resignation," claim sources.

Update at 14.57 pm: BS Yedurappa speaks to BJP National President Amit shah to update him on latest developments.

Update at 14.56 pm: "Yeddyurappa will resign," say Congress Sources.

Update at 14.56 pm: We have 6-8 audio tapes of BJP, two will vote for us: Congress Sources

Update at 14.52 pm: First picture of 'missing' Congress MLA Pratap Gowda Patil inside Karnataka Assembly - eating after reaching Vidhan Soudha

Update at 14.50 pm: Cong 'missing' MLA was brought into the Assembly and escorted from hotel by DGP of Karnataka and Police commissioner

Update at 14.40 pm: "Pratap Gowda Patil came with our leaders, after 3:30 pm he is going to swear as MLA and then he will vote for us," said DK Shivakumar

Update at 14.38 pm: 'Missing' Congress MLA Pratap Gowda Patil reaches Assembly,

Update at 14.36 pm: DK Shivakumar of the Congress says he is "sure" that Yeddyurappa will resign ahead of the trust vote.

Update at 14.05 pm: JD (S) MLA Tanveer Sait caught on camers trying to lure L Nagendra, Chamaraja MLA to vote for Cong + JD(S).

Update at 14.01 pm: Missing Congress MLAs spotted at Gold Finch hotel

Update at 1:47 pm: House adjourned till 3:30 pm

Update at 1:46 pm: Congress senior leader Ugrappa argues with marshals inside Assembly claiming bias and discrimination by them against Congress and JD(S) leaders

Update at 1:37 pm: House adjourned for lunch till 2:30 pm.

Update at 1:31 pm: JD(S) issues whip to its MLAs to be present in the assembly for floor test

Update at 1:20 pm:

'Missing' Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Pratap Gowda have reportedly locked themselves in a hotel's room. Both missing MLAs seek police protection. Large police presence at the Gold Finch Hotel.

Update at 1:15 pm:

Congress MP DK Suresh, who went to bring back two Congress MLAs returns empty-handed.

Update at 1:11 pm:

READ | Ahead Of Floor Test, Here Are All The Scenarios On Who Will Form The Next Government In Karnataka

Update at 1:10 pm:

Reports indicate missing Congress MLAs are in the Gold Finch Hotel. DG & IGP have visited the hotel.

Congress MLA DK Shivakumar - Our numbers are intact and on the two members who have not taken the oath, we are waiting for them. We know where they are but we are waiting for them

Update at 1pm: 

Explosive audio released of Yeddyurappa allegedly trying to lure Congress Hirelerur MLA BC Patil

BIG Update at 12:51 pm:

Update at 12:50 pm: Yeddyurappa having important meeting in CM's chamber. Union Ministers Ananth Kumar and Prakash Javadekar, as well as Shobha Karandlaje, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Sadananda Gowda and Murlidhar Rao present.

Update at 12:40 pm: 

Sources say that 1 BJP MLA may be missing. The said MLA has not taken oath.

Update at 12:39 pm:

Update at 12:24 pm:

Sibal - We have 116. This EC said. Now if someone breaks, who will it be? There's no doubt. How will they break? Of that also there is no doubt.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi - 'To make a virtue out of necessity', they had understood that the court has also understood. 

(Singhvi claims that it was their action based on which it was decided to live broadcast the house proceedings and slams the BJP for saying that the Congress had been unsuccessful in the Supreme Court)

Update at 12:20 pm:

Kapil Sibal: Let the pro tem speaker only administer oath and conduct the trust vote by division - This was our agenda. Now, 'Jo jeetega, wohi sikandar'

Abhishek Manu Singhvi: Everything we've done, the motive has been transparency. We need safeguards like LIVE broadcast.

Update at 12:17 pm:

Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi address news briefing on events of the day in the Supreme Court.

Update at 12:15 pm:

Update at 12:09 pm: Congress releases two more alleged 'bribe' tapes. 

MP DK Suresh, brother of Congress MLA DK Shivakumar, confirms that both Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Pratap Gowda are not present in the Vidhana Soudha

HILARIOUS: Omar Abdullah Tells Congress How To Make BJP MLAs Vanish Before Critical Karnataka Floor Test

Update at 11:52 am: SUPER SCOOP - Missing Congress MLAs Pratap Patil and Anand Singh now at Taj West End and may abstain from voting. Republic tracks down missing MLAs who are likely to join BJP. Meanwhile, a Congress leader claims that they have been detained using dubious methods. 

Update at 11:49 am: Congress MLA Pratap Gouda Patil may join BJP, claim sources. Congress karyakartas held a protest at his house on Friday to not join BJP.

Update at 11:43 am: KG Bopaiah forms 5-member Speaker panel under rule-9. Panel will function in the absence of the speaker

RULE 9:  Panel of Chairmen:-
9(1). At the commencement of every session or from time to time, as the case may be, the Speaker shall nominate from amongst the members of the House a panel of not more than six Chairmen, any one of whom may preside over the House in the absence of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, when so requested by the Speaker, or in his absence, by the Deputy Speaker, or in his absence, also by the Chairman Presiding.
Provided that when both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are absent, and no request as above has been made any member in the panel as shown in the list in the order in which they have been nominated by the Speaker shall preside over the House.
8(2) The members of Panel of Chairmen nominated under sub-rule(1) shall hold office until new Panel of Chairmen have been nominated.

Update at 11:37 am: No written order about division votes to be followed for floor test. Only through show of hand or voice count 

Update at 11:36 am: Congress MLAs Pratap Gowda Patil and Anand Singh not in Vidhana Soudha.

Update at 11:29 am:

Update at 11:27 am:

Rohtagi outside SC - We made a statement that LIVE telecast is going on. If a person who has lost on all counts is claiming victory, I can't say anything.

Rohtagi - It is shocking that president of a political party (speaking about Rahul Gandhi) said our Supreme Court works like Pakistan's supreme court. It is in bad taste. Their plea in the Supreme Court didn't deserve even a 10-minute hearing. (on the overnight marathon hearing)

READ | Rahul Gandhi Uses Pakistan Analogy To Attack Judiciary After Congress Lost Its Midnight Legal Battle

Update at 11:24 am:

Update at 11:23 am: Supporters offer prayers for BJP victory in the floor test in Davangere in Karnataka. Watch in the video above - 

Update at 11:14 am:

Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa and his predecessor Siddaramaiah takes oath as MLA. Other MLAs follow suit.

Update at 11:10 am:

Three-judge Supreme Court bench delivers order:

In view of the statement made by Tushar Mehta, it isn't necessary to go into the prayers made by the petitioners. ASG Tushar Mehta has said that there will be a LIVE telecast of the proceedings in the Assembly of the floor test. 

It is also stated that the Secretary will video record the proceedings.

Several local channels are going to be provided with the LIVE feed of the proceedings so as to telecast the same simultaneously on their respective channels.

Supreme Court hearing concludes.

Update at 11:07 am:

Justice Bobde - Which channel will broadcast it?

ASG Tushar Mehta - All local channels. 

Justice Bobde - Let it be all channels. It should not be just one channel.

Update at 11:04 am:

ASG Tushar Mehta - The Speaker has taken a decision that the proceedings on the floor will be live telecasted on local channels

Justice Sikri - I think that resolves the entire problem 

Justice Sikri - Tushar Mehta thank you very much for coming out with this. This has solved the entire problem.

Update at 11:03 am:

Visuals of CM Yeddyurappa in Karnataka Vidhana Soudha:

Update at 11:01 am:

Sibal - I know you passed the order for the pro tem Speaker on our instance. We are not casting any aspersions on him. 

(BJP counsels and the court room start laughing)

Supreme Court: If u want us to examine bonafide of pro-tem speaker then we must issue notice to hear and floor test has to be postponed.

Update at 10:57 am:

Justice Bobde - If you want us to review the Governor's order appointing the pro tem speaker, we will have to postpone the floor test. 

Justice Bobde to Sibal - We are willing to consider what you are saying if you agree that till the time we decide there will be no floor test.

Update at 10:57 am:

Justice Bobde - Do you want us to ascertain the suitability of Mr. Bopaiah as the pro tem speaker? You have already cast aspersions. To decide his suitability we have to hear his side as well.

Justice Sikri to Sibal - You wanted the pro tem Speaker yesterday. It is on your suggestion that we ordered for a pro tem speaker to be appointed. 

Sibal - We did not think they will do this.

Justice Bobde - if we review the order of the Governor, it will go against our order yesterday.

Update at 10:56 am: We have convinced many legislators to resign in protest from Congress and JD(S), claim BJP sources, adding that this would bring down the effective strength of the house to a level where BJP sails through

Update at 10:52 am: BJP MLAs enter Vidhan Soudha

Meanwhile, in Supreme Court: Sibal - His actions in the past specifically with regard to disqualification of the MLAs have raised questions on his bonafide intent.

Sibal - Bopaiah has manipulated the majority to make sure the trust vote does not go against the chief minister before.

Update at 10:50 am: 

In Supreme Court, Justice Bobde - I don't know how relevant this is because I personally know of instances when the senior most members have not been appointed.

Sibal - I am not denying that. The problem is that Bopaiah has a history that cannot be ignored. If he didn't have a history we wouldn't have had a problem.

Update at 10:48 am:

Justice Bobde says that there have been examples when senior-most members were not appointed as pro tem speaker. 

Balasahab Vikhe Patil is one of the examples. (Court refers case of Sisram Ola also)

Update at 10:45 am:

As BJP MLAs depart the Shangri-La Hotel in Bengaluru for the Karnataka Vidhana Soudha, chief minister Yeddyurappa flashes 'V' victory sign

Update at 10: 42 am:

Sibal - If Bopaiah subscribes to the oath of affirmation, only then there is no problem. But if he conducts the trust vote it will be a problem for sure.

Sibal - Bopaiah is not the senior most member of the house. The senior most member should be appointed

(Sibal relying on precedents regarding appointment of previous pro tem speakers.)

Update at 10:39 am:

Supreme Court hearing on appointment of pro tem Speaker begins in New Delhi.

Sibal - I want to apologise for troubling you. But principles are not being followed. There are orders of this court against Bopaiah

Update at 10:37 am:

BJP sources with exclusive information on the party's plan depending on how things pan out:

1. BJP banking on it being a vote of conscience for the MLAs
2. BJP's plan 1 is for it to be a voice vote victory as happened in Maharashtra in 2014 when BJP won despite having only 122 MLAs against 144 required for a majority
3. BJP's plan 2 is for the house strength comes down to 207 on account of disgruntled Lingayat MLAs in JD(S) and Congress abstaining
4. BJP's plan 3 is that votes of at least 13 MLAs don't get counted or are rejected (for various reasons)
5. BJP's plan 4 is Yeddyurappa resigning before the trust vote if the party doesn't see the numbers adding up

Update at 10:31 am:  Exclusive inside track: Cong-JD(S) decide not to create any ruckus in Assembly. They are aware of extra marshals in Assembly who could evict them and that could bring down numbers to benefit BJP

Update at 10:23 am: 'For me, today is not an important day. The important days will come in future. Up to 4 pm, BJP will try to poach our MLAs. All the MLAs are together, no one is going to go to the other side. None of our MLAs are trapped. Me & Siddaramaiah will go together', says JD(S) chief HD Kumaraswamy

Update at 10:18 am: Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Attorney General KK Venugopal, Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, ASG Tushar Mehta, Senior Lawyer Ram Jethmalani all in Supreme Court.

Update at 10:17 am: Congress MLAs leave Hilton Hotel for the Vidhana Soudha

Update at 10:13 am: Here's what former A-G Mukul Rohtagi said before departing for the Supreme Court

Update at 10:08 am: LIVE visuals from inside Vidhana Soudha:

Update at 10:03 am: Number of marshals in Karnataka Assembly increased to 200 from the regular number of 120-130 during a normal session

Update at 9:57 am: HD Kumaraswamy meeting JD(S) MLAs at Le Meridien Hotel. All MLAs likely to leave by 10:30. Meanwhile in Delhi, movement at Mukul Rohtagi's residence ahead of critical Supreme Court hearing.

Update at 9:50 am: Siddharamiah arrives at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Simultaneously, in New Delhi, Kapil Sibal reaches Supreme Court. 

Update at 9:47 am: Attorney General KK Venugopal leaves for Supreme Court ahead of crucial hearing over appointment of pro tem Speaker.

Update at 9:41 am: 'Physically he is not with us but he is in contact with our leaders. He has to come to Vidhana Soudha today. He will definitely vote for us. He is with us. He will come back: Congress' Ramalinga Reddy on MLA Anand Singh

100% there will be no cross-voting. Between 2008 and 2013, the BJP-led government looted Karnataka, Reddy adds.

Update at 9:38 am: Sadananda Gowda, union minister and former Karnataka chief minister, says Congress and JD(S) MLAs will vote for Yeddyurappa and he will emerge as the Karnataka CM for 5 years. Meanwhile, a JD(S) leader says the party's full quorum of 37 MLAs is present.

Update at 9:31 am: Watch in the video below, Marshals being briefed ahead of the oath-taking and trust vote

Update at 9:20 am: Congress legal team's 45-minute consultation at Abhishek Manu Singhvi's residence ends. Team leaves for Supreme Court.

Update at 9:15 am: BJP is very very confident. We will win the trust vote. Both Congress and JD(S) have an unholy alliance. It will be rejected. People will reject it, says Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Ananth Kumar

Update at 9:12 am: Congress' Ramalinga Reddy hits out at KG Bopaiah's appointment as pro tem Speaker. Says RV Deshpande should have been appointed instead.

Update at 8:56 am: JD(S) MLAs reach Le Meridien Hotel 

Update at 8:54 am: Journalists sit in protest at Vidhana Soudha as Police isn't permitting them to enter

Update at 8:41 am: Yeddyurappa heading to Shangri-La hotel in Bengaluru

Republic TV will be LIVE with non-stop coverage as we approach the Supreme Court hearing and the all-important floor test. Watch LIVE here.

---

A day of intense political drama awaits at the Karnataka Vidhana Soudha as newly-installed chief minister BS Yeddyurappa will attempt to move a motion of confidence in his government at 4 pm. Against the motion are likely to be the combined MLAs of the Congress and JD(S) who have held all along that the Governor of the state, Vajubhai Vala, erred (or worse) in inviting Yeddyurappa and the BJP to form a government.

The BJP had emerged the single-largest party in the Karnataka Assembly elections that were held on May 12 and results of which were announced on May 15. The party won 104 seats versus just 40 in 2013, while the Congress won 78 and the JD(S), 37, while Others won 3. The Congress and JD(S), however, forged a post-poll alliance and they as well as the BJP staked claims to forming a government in the state. The Congress-JD(S) alliance would be led by the smaller party, it emerged, with HD Kumaraswamy named chief ministerial candidate.

After numerous visits by both sides' representations to the Governor, in a contentious decision, the Governor on Wednesday evening invited Yeddyurappa to take oath as Karnataka CM the following day. Almost simultaneously, Congress MLAs who had been gathered and herded into buses arrived at the Eagleton Resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru to be locked in amid heavy security. JD(S) MLAs too gathered at a 5-star hotel in the city after Kumaraswamy alleged that his MLAs had received 'Rs 100 crore and cabinet berth' offers from the BJP which was trying to poach them. 

With Yeddyurappa due to be sworn in at 9:30 am on Thursday and having been given 15 days to prove his majority, the Congress' senior leaders in New Delhi jumped into action, rushing a petition seeking the Governor's invitation to Yeddyurappa to be declared illegal to the Chief Justice of India (CJI). At 1 am on Thursday, their petition was allowed and an emergency 3-judge-bench was convened for the hearing that began an hour later.

In the marathon hearing that lasted three-and-a-half-hours, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Congress-JD(S), argued against present and former Attorney Generals KK Venugopal and Mukul Rohatgi respectively who contended that the petition should never have been admitted in the first place. Ultimately, however, the Supreme Court, in its order, refused to stay Yeddyurappa's swearing-in but demanded that the letter that had been submitted to the Governor, based on which the invitation was sent, be produced before them at 10:30 am on Friday with Singhvi opining that the swearing in had effectively been made provisional depending on the outcome of the Friday hearing.

On Thursday, once Yeddyurappa was sworn in, he made a clutch of immediate moves, transferring key bureaucrats and officials and signalling his intent to waive farm loans within a day. That evening, after security was largely withdrawn, the Congress and JD(S) attempted to move their MLAs out of the state. They failed to do so via chartered flights and hence packed up into their buses again and departed for Hyderabad.

The MLAs arrived in Hyderabad just as the hearing began in the Supreme Court. Yeddyurappa's letters were produced before the bench which observed that unlike in the case of the Congress-JD(S)' letter, the BJP's didn't have names of MLAs whose support was being claimed. The bench offered two options to the Singhvi and Kapil Sibal who were appearing for the Congress and JD(S) respectively, the first being that the floor test be held immediately the next day, and the other, over the petition's initial goal to declare the Governor's invite illegal. After parleys with the party high-command the Congress-JD(S) said it was ready for a floor test the very next day while the BJP's representation argued that the floor test be held on Monday or Tuesday and via a secret ballot. The Supreme Court denied them and ordered Yeddyurappa to prove his strength on the floor of the house at 4 pm on Saturday.

The announcement of the floor test kicked both parties into action. Yeddyurappa announced that he would win the floor test even as Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy departed for Hyderabad to gather their MLAs. Sources from both sides claimed and counter-claimed that they were in touch with each others' MLAs. The Congress was shortly up in arms once again over the Governor appointing a BJP MLA, KG Bopaiah as Assembly pro tem Speaker over its 8-term-MLA RV Deshpande. The pro tem Speaker will be important in case the floor test ends in a tie, in which case he will get to cast the tie-breaker vote. The Congress once again rushed to the Supreme Court with a petition challenging the pro tem Speaker's appointment. The petition was admitted and will be heard at 10:30 am on Saturday. 

As the Congress' and JD(S)' MLAs departed Hyderabad for Bengaluru the BJP too assembled its legislators at a hotel in Bengaluru where they would spend the night. A late controversy was caused as the Congress released a purported audio tape where mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy was allegedly trying to bribe a Congress legislator, offering him any position and a meeting with the party leadership. Union minister and BJP Karnataka poll in-charge Prakash Javadekar dismissed it as the handiwork of the Congress dirty-tricks department.

The day promises to be full of the same kind of political drama and intrigue as has followed the results being announced. Will the Congress-JD(S) be granted relief by the Supreme Court? Will Yeddyurappa be able to prove his numbers? Or will the Congress-JD(S) scupper his plans? Keep track of every development here, and watch things happening LIVE here.