PANAJI
Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar took up for hearing a disqualification petition filed against eight Congress MLAs who defected to the ruling BJP nearly two years ago.
Tawardkar heard arguments proffered by the counsel for the petitioner, one Domnic Noronha, said to be a Congress worker, on Thursday-Friday and fixed it for further hearing on Monday.
There are multiple petitions filed before Tawardkar seeking disqualification of the group of eight MLAs who on September 15,2022, split from the Congress and claimed to have “merged” with the BJP.
The group included the then Leader of the Opposition, Michael Lobo, former chief minister Digambar Kamat, current Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira, Kedar Naik, Delilah Lobo, Rudolf Fernandes, Rajesh Faldesai and Sankalp Amonkar.
Petitions have also been filed by GPCC president, Amit Patkar and his predecessor, Girish Chodankar, all mainly citing the ground that a small group in Goa breaking off and joining the BJP cannot be considered to be a “merger” of the Congress, which is a national party, with the BJP.
Tawadkar, who has been set a deadline to dispose off these petitions in early November by the Supreme Court of India, said that he is holding hearings on a day-to-day basis and will conclude so as to follow the directions of the Apex Court.
