Locals want jailed MLA out on parole for Assembly session

Locals from Nuvem constituency today submitted a memorandum to Goa Assembly Speaker Rajendra Arlekar and Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar seeking the release of jailed MLA Fransisco Miccky Pacheco on parole so that he can attend the upcoming Assembly session.
The Goa Vikas Party MLA, who represents Nuvem Assembly constituency, has been in jail since the last two months after being convicted and sentenced for six months for slapping a government servant in July 2006.
A memorandum signed by various village panchayat members says Pacheco should be granted parole and also allowed to attend the Assembly session as he has to "study various matters to be taken up on the floor of the House."

"We have understood that he (Pacheco) has raised several questions on the floor of the House. There will be discussion on budget during this session and there is ample scope of raising the questions," it says.
"We have learnt that the MLA is keen on attending the session and it is for this reason that he has filed questions. Unfortunately under the current circumstances, he may not be able to attend the session and thus deprive us, who voted him to right to raise our voices in the House, a right which has been conferred upon us by law," it further said.

The villagers added, "We feel that the presence of our MLA, who is a senior legislator in the House, is essential for proper discussion of issues relating to our constituency as also issues relating to the state."
"Under the law there is provision of giving him parole for valid reasons...In this particular case, the requirement of the MLA in the House is more than sufficient ground to grant him parole for the limited duration of the Assembly so that he can study the matter before discussing in the House," the memorandum reads.
The Monsoon Session of the Goa Legislative Assembly will begin on July 27 and will end on August 14.