Team Herald
PANJIM: In what could spark a controversy, a Right To Information (RTI) has revealed that the proposal to grant lifetime Cabinet status to former Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane was approved and notified in 24 hours.
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As per the file notings shared by the government with applicant Advocate Aires Rodrigues, the then Pramod Sawant-led Cabinet on the afternoon of January 6, 2022 decided to grant lifetime cabinet status to Rane.
“The proposal was swiftly processed by various officials and the notification to that effect was quickly issued the very next afternoon on January 7 and published in the Official Gazette that very same day racing the Model Code of Conduct which came into force the very next day. Interestingly, the file notings are silent on whether the required prior approval of the Finance Department was taken in view of the fact that the granting of lifetime Cabinet status to the former Chief Minister would have a financial implication on the State Exchequer,” Rodrigues said.
Rodrigues on March 2 served a legal notice on the Chief Secretary of Goa demanding that the notification be withdrawn as the bestowing of lifetime cabinet status to Rane was absolutely illegal, patently unconstitutional being without jurisdiction and a very blatant disgusting abuse of power.
Rodrigues also stated that it was a known fact that this lifetime cabinet status had been accorded hurriedly and without proper application of mind by the Pramod Sawant government with vested political motives in rank contravention of law and to the detriment of the State exchequer.
He stated this personal handout at the expense of the taxpayer was not based on any laid down criteria under the Constitution of India but instead was a golden handshake for favours received or in anticipation thereof by the ruling BJP party.
