The Supreme Court is expected to hear on Tuesday a special leave petition (SLP) filed by Congress leader Girish Chodankar, challenging the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court's decision that upheld the Speaker’s order dismissing his plea to disqualify eight Congress MLAs who defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2022.
Chodankar had originally approached the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, seeking disqualification of the eight legislators — referred to as the G8 MLAs — under the Tenth Schedule (anti-defection law) of the Constitution. However, the Speaker dismissed his petition, ruling that the merger of the MLAs with the BJP was valid.
Chodankar then moved the High Court, which upheld the Speaker’s decision, prompting him to escalate the matter to the apex court. His petition argues that the Speaker's order is legally flawed and undermines the constitutional mandate against political defection.
The case is being closely watched in Goa’s political circles, as its outcome could have significant implications for party defections and legislative stability in the state.