PANJIM: The Congress on Tuesday approached Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar demanding expeditious disposal of the disqualification petition filed against ten former Congress legislators, who quit the party and merged its legislative wing with the ruling BJP.
Congress President Girish Chodankar had filed disqualification petition against Deputy Speaker and Canacona MLA Isidor Fernandes, Deputy Chief Minister and Quepem MLA Chandrakant Kavlekar, WRD Minister and Velim MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Revenue Minister and Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserratte, Panjim MLA Atanasio Monserratte, Cuncolim MLA Clafasio Dias, Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa and Thivim MLA Nilkant Halarnkar.
The disqualification petition was filed on August 8, 2019, a month after the legislators joined BJP.
“The Applicant states that since the filing of the captioned petition in the month of August, 2019, there has been no meaningful progress in the matter and the adjudication in the matter is being unreasonably delayed. It is almost five months since the filing of the disqualification petition, however no effective progress has taken place in the matter,” Chodankar said in the petition.
So far, only one hearing has been held in the matter on October 15, last year.
Chodankar pointed out that all the legislators, who have incurred disqualification under the Xth Schedule of the Constitution are getting undue and undeserving advantage of continuing as the member of the Legislative Assembly on account of delay which is being caused in disposal of the captioned petition.
“The Applicant states and submits that delay in disposal of disqualification petition virtually amounts to defeating the very purpose and objectives of anti-defection law as contained in Schedule Xth of the Constitution. The delay in deciding the disqualification proceedings is against the very grain an object of Schedule Xth of the Constitution of India,” he said.
“It is submitted that justice delay is justice denied and in present case the delay caused in delivery of justice is giving undue and undeserving benefit to the respondents to illegal continue as member of the Legislative Assembly,” Chodankar added.
“In view of the aforesaid it is most humbly prayed that the captioned disqualification petition be taken up for adjudication at the earliest and disposed in accordance with law,” the petitioner demanded.
