Goa Speaker hears Cong plea on disqualifying turncoat MLAs

Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar on Tuesday heard the disqualification petition filed by the Congress against ten of its MLAs who switched over the ruling BJP in June this year.

The petition has been filed against Deputy Speaker and Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes, Deputy Chief Minister and Quepem MLA Chandrakant Kavlekar, WRD Minister and Velim MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Revenue Minister and Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserratte, Panaji MLA Atanasio Monserratte, Cuncolim MLA Clafasio Dias, Nuvem MLA Wilfred D'Sa and Thivim MLA Nilkant Halarnkar.

The petition was filed by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar.

Chodankar's lawyer Abhijit Gosawi said the 10 MLAs attract disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, as they voluntarily gave up membership of the party on whose ticket they won polls.

Speaker Patnekar said he would call another hearing on the petition and would decide then if notices have to be sent to the 10 MLAs.