SC notice to EC, Goa speaker on Congress plea against state

The Supreme Court today sought responses from the Election Commission and the Goa Assembly speaker on a Congress plea seeking the disqualification of state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra asked the parties to file their responses within six weeks.
The Congress party, in its petition, said Rane was elected as an MLA on its ticket and resigned before the Manohar Parrikar government proved its majority on the floor of the Assembly on March 17 last year.
It also said that the speaker wrongly accepted Rane's resignation as an MLA before the floor test.

Rane holds the health portfolio in the Manohar Parrikar- led government.