PANAJI
Already facing a petition in the Supreme Court for allegedly delaying a decision on the disqualification petitions against legislators who crossed floors to buttress the legislative strength of the government, Speaker Rajesh Patnekar ironically cited that very plea in the Supreme Court to justify his conduct of not deciding the petitions.
Patnekar told the media persons in Panaji on Thursday that he has not yet adjudicated the disqualification petitions as the issue is being dealt with by the Supreme Court.
Ten Congress legislators and two from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) who have switched to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are facing disqualification petitions under the Xth Schedule of the Constitution which have to be decided by the Speaker.
While the pleas against the 10 Congress MLAs who defected in July 2019, are filed by the party's State president Girish Chodankar, the pleas against the MGP defectors have been filed by Marcaim MLA Sudin Dhavlikar.
Chodankar had also moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Speaker to decide the petitions early accusing him of delaying the matters without substantive reasons to the advantage of the violators of the Anti-Defection Law. The matter is pending before the Apex Court.
