SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Friday issued notices to Deputy Chief Minister Manohar (Babu) Ajgaonkar and PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar, both former Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs in the disqualification petition matter.
The writ petition filed by Marcaim MGP MLA Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar challenging the Goa Assembly Speaker’s judgment dismissing his disqualification plea against the two former MLAs came up for hearing before the division bench comprising Justice Manish Pitale and Justice M S Jawalkar.
Dhavalikar was represented by Advocates Carlos Alvares Ferreira and Dhaval Zaveri while, Advocate General Devidas Pangam waived notice on behalf of the Speaker.
The court issued notices to both the Ministers and posted the matter for final hearing on October 22.
In his writ petition, Dhavalikar has prayed that the Speaker’s order dated April 20, 2021 dismissing his disqualification petition against the two MLAs be quashed and set aside and that the two rebels be disqualified under the Anti-Defection Act.
Adv Ferreira told the court that the two former MGP MLAs defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) past midnight on March 26, 2019. He said the “bedroom merger” was illegal and unconstitutional and that both MLAs be disqualified under the Tenth Schedule of Constitution of India.
