Team Herald
PANJIM: Speaker Anant Shet on Wednesday allowed the no confidence motion moved by the opposition against the State government.
Leader of the Opposition Pratapsingh Rane had moved the motion against the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar for failing to govern the House. The motion was signed by 12 opposition MLAs, including GVP’s Francisco (Mickky) Pacheco.
The Speaker took up the notice issued by Rane, which was put to vote. Ten opposition MLAs stood in support of the motion. Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai and Congress MLA Chandrakant Kavalekar were not present during the voting.
“Since one fifth members supported the notice, it will be taken for consideration. The date for discussion on the motion will be decided in consultation with the Leader of the House,” Shet said.
The motion was moved on Tuesday highlighting the government’s failure on various issues including power and water tariff hike, suppressing the opposition voice, etc.
The opposition members are now considering moving a no confidence motion against the Speaker for acting as a “mute spectator” while allowing the Chief Minister and Environment Minister Rajendra Arlekar to dictate the proceedings of the House.
“We are thinking of moving a no confidence motion against the Speaker for acting as a mute spectator. Under him, there is undeclared emergency,” Sardesai told media persons.
He said that the opposition is studying the Rules of Conduct of the House and as per which if the Speaker fails to control the Assembly, they have the powers to move a no confidence motion. “Speaker is dictated by Arlekar. He was a dictator then and now also,” Sardesai said.
Supporting him, Congress MLA Pandurang Madkaikar said the Speaker is in no position to control the session and is acting as the member of a party. “We are constantly raising our issues before the Speaker but he is not able to speak anything. He is just sitting on the chair doing nothing,” the MLA said.
Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane said the Speaker was most incompetent.
