Supreme Court to take up petitions against Goa Speaker

The Supreme Court will today take up petitions challenging the Goa Assembly Speakers order on restraining three MLAs from voting, during Chief Minister Digambar Kamats floor test.

New Delhi, Aug 13 : The Supreme Court will today take up petitions challenging the Goa Assembly Speaker's order on restraining three MLAs from voting, during Chief Minister Digambar Kamat's floor test.

A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan had earlier issued notices to the Goa Government and State Assembly Speaker Pratapsinh Rane.

Rane, through an ad-interim order on disqualification petitions, had restrained three legislators from participating in the Assembly vote, resulting in the Congress victory.

Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs - Sudin Dhavalikar and Dipak Dhavilkar - and Victoria Fernandes, the Congress MLA who had resigned from the State Assembly, were restrained from voting.

The petitioners - the MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the MGP -have sought a stay on the Speaker Rane's order alleging that the orders were not even served with the copies of the disqualification.

The MLAs also questioned the Speaker's decision to hold voice vote on the Motion of Confidence.

Governor S C Jamir had directed Kamat to undertake a floor test to prove his majority after the Congress Government was reduced to a minority.

ANI