Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: The High Court of Bombay at Goa Justice Mahesh Sonak has 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.
Former GPCC President Girish Chodankar will now mention the petition before the Special Bench of the High Court.
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 office of the Speaker, Goa Assembly, issued notices to former Congress MLAs Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo in a disqualification petition filed by Congress President Amit Patkar against the two in July 2022.
