Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: The High Court of Bombay at Goa today has issued notices to the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly and eight MLAs who had defected from Congress to BJP in a disqualification plea.
The High Court has all the respondents to file a reply in 2 weeks.
“Today, the HC has given time to Speaker to file a reply within two weeks. The contention of the petitioner is that his petition should be decided fast,” said Advocate General Devidas Pangam.
He further said that Goa Congress Leader Girish Chodankar pleaded to direct the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly to decide the disqualification petition against 8 defected MLAs of Congress within 90 days.
According to the disqualification petition filed by Chodankar, the merger of the eight legislators into the BJP was invalid. Chodankar has also said that the legislators should be disqualified as MLAs of the state assembly under Article 191 (2) of the Constitution of India read with para 2 (1) (a) of the tenth schedule of the Constitution of India.
“Pending hearing and final disposal of the matter, this Speaker be pleased to restrain Respondent No. 1 to 8 (Rebel MLAs) from functioning as the Members of Legislative Assembly and/or holding any Constitutional post or office of profit,” Chodankar’s petition said.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa Justice Mahesh Sonak had recused himself from hearing the petition filed by Congress leader Girish Chodankar pleading to direct the Speaker to decide the disqualification petition in time bound manner against 8 defected MLAs.
The eight MLAs who jumped ship are Digambar Kamat, Aleixo Sequeira, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Rajesh Phaldesai, Sankalp Amonkar and Rudolfo Fernandes.
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