The minister was responding to questions regarding the delay by the Centre in despatching the Bill, said to have received the President's approval.

He was also confronted with the absence of a government notification giving effect to the Bill following presidential assent.

Nanaiah said though the State Government had received only oral confirmation of the President's assent through his secretary, who conveyed it to Karnataka's Additional Chief Secretary N A Muthanna -- they had reason to believe that it was so, because Union Home Minister L K Advani had gone on record to confirm it. Moreover, the Government of India too had not denied it, he said.

Addressing mediapersons following a Cabinet meeting, Nanaiah said the delay by Union Urban DevelopmentMinister Ram Jethmalani on technical grounds was, under the circumstances, both ``legally and constitutionally not correct''. Moreover, the Attorney General of India too had given, ``a clear opinion that the Bill is in order'' he added.

Srikantadatta Wodeyar could challenge the matter in court if he so wished, he said, adding that on behalf of the State Government, he would request Advani, ``to immediately send the assented Bill to the State Government''.

To another question he said if need be, and if Advani does not respond positively within a few days, the ``chief minister and I will meet the President',' as well as the Union Law Minister to impress upon him the legal necessity for despatching the Bill.

There is no legal scope for any other move especially since the President has given his assent, he added.

Meanwhile, the State Cabinet has also taken ``serious note'' of the fact that a former Union Minister -- Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy -- should have written to the prime minister expressing sympathywith an organisation demanding statehood for Kodagu district.

The State Government would bring this to the notice of the prime minister and it was for him to act, Nanaiah said. ``This is an affront to the federal structure'' of our country and Ramamurthy will find no political advantage by this, he added.

He also said Union Defence Minister George Fernandes had termed as a ``total lie'' the alleged statement by members of the district's separatist organisation, that he too had expressed sympathy with their cause.

The Defence Minister had told Nanaiah that he neither knew any such a person from the organisation nor spoken with him.

State opposes Bihar Govt dismissal

He said the State strongly opposed the proposed dismissal of the Rabri Devi Government in Bihar. The situation in that State did not necessitate the invoking of Article 356, and financial mismanagement or poor law and order did not in themselves constitute sufficient grounds for doing so, he said. Which state could boast of nothaving these problems, he asked.

On disagreements within the Janata Dal at the national level, he said it was proof of the vibrant democracy that the party and its members enjoyed.