HC notice is mere procedure: Lobo

PANAJI rTwo BJP MLAs Pandurang Madkaikar and Milind Naik claimed they were unaware about the High Court notices in poll-related cases, while the third BJP MLA Michael Lobo said the notice was just a procedure and did not prove or mean anything. r“Notice is a just a procedural matter and does not prove anything. After seeking a reply, the High Court will then go into the merits of the case,” Lobo said. rHe said former Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira was habituated to going to courts filing cases against people in the high court, district court and also the Directorate of Panchayats. r“Sequeira has made a lot of allegations against me in the petition before the High Court, which I will prove are false.” r“Filing of cases is his right as a citizen of India. Defending them is my right,” Lobo said. rHe further said if there were any merits in the allegations, the Election Commission would have taken cognizance of the matter during the polls. r“Why didn’t the Election Commission take cognizance of the allegations during the elections? The role of the Election Commission has been very neutral in Goa,” he said. rHe said the High Court must have also made the EC and the State government a party in the matter. rWhen contacted, Power Minister and BJP’s Cumbharjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar said he had not received anything as yet. rMormagao MLA Milind Naik also refused to comment on the High Court notice. “The VVPAT matter regarding my election as MLA will be decided by court. I don’t have any information about the notice and so I will not speak anything in the matter.” r“Everyone has the right to go to court and seek justice. If Sankalp Amonkar has gone to court that is his right. I have the authority given by the returning officer that I am duly elected as MLA of Mormagao constituency. I have also taken oath as MLA and so I don’t feel that I should comment on the petition in court,” rsaid Naik.