Bangalore:  Nearly a week after three Karnataka MLAs were caught allegedly viewing porn in the state assembly, the trio will give a written explanation today to the Speaker KG Bopaiah on the episode.

Their version will then be passed on to the panel appointed by the Speaker probing the allegation.

On February 7, CC Patil and Laxman Savadi, both of who were former ministers, were filmed by a local channel allegedly looking at explicit pictures on the latter’s cellphone during an ongoing debate in the House. Sources say the former ministers allegedly viewed two clips on a phone – one was pornographic, the other was a news story on a rape. According to reports, the person holding the mobile phone in the video clip shown by the channel was Mr Savadi. The person sitting next to him was Mr Patil. The person sitting next to him is Mr Patil. The phone allegedly belonged to Mr Palemar, who gave it to Mr Savadi, sources say.

The incident immediately sparked a major political furore. As the Opposition demanded the disqualification of the scandal-hit MLAs from the assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which heads the government in the state went into a huddle. Flurry of telephone calls at the highest-level and soundbytes carrying promises of appropriate action later, the trio resigned.

The BJP said the ministers resigned voluntarily. The three reportedly said they were keen “to save the party’s image”. Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda forwarded their resignations to the Governor which was accepted.

Meanwhile, the three MLAs have been barred from attending the Assembly session till the six-member House committee, which was constituted by the Speaker, submits its report on the incident on March 13.

Before they quit, Mr Savadi, was the Minister for Cooperation while Mr Patil held the Women and Child Development portfolio. Mr Palemar was the minister in charge of Mangalore.