Member of Goa Assembly staff suspended for leaking resignation

The resignation letters of two MLAs of the Congress in Goa were allegedly "leaked" on social media by a member of the watch and ward staff of the Legislative Assembly who has been suspended by the Speaker, a statement said Tuesday.

MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte, who went to Delhi late last night, faxed their resignation letters to Speaker Pramod Sawant and are set to join the BJP.

"The speaker today suspended one Rishab Subhedar who is working as watch and ward (staff) of the Goa Assembly for leaking the official documents from the Legislature Secretariat on whatsapp," as per the statement issued by the office of the Speaker.

Sopte, 54, represented the Mandrem Assembly constituency in North Goa district, while Shirodkar, 66, was elected from the Shiroda in South Goa district.

"This is the first of its kind incident wherein exemplary punishment has been ordered to maintain sanctity and discipline of the Assembly," the statement added.

Sources in the Speaker's office said the action was taken against Subhedar, after it was found that the resignation letters were put out on the social media.

"An enquiry was conducted on how the confidential document which is the property of the House got leaked. It found that the staff concerned had circulated it," they said.

A thorough enquiry is being conducted into the matter, they added.

The resignation of Sopte and Shirodkar is seen as a setback to the Congress (16 MLAs) which has so far managed to maintain a thin edge over the ruling BJP which has 14 MLAs.

In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the Manohar Parrikar-led government has the support of 23 MLAs. These comprise 14 BJP MLAs, three each from the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party as well as three Independents.

With the Congress losing two MLAs, its numbers in the House, which has the effective strength of 38 now, is reduced to 14.