Info sought by Cong on defecting MLAs will be given by Oct 28: Speaker

Team Herald

PANJIM: Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Tuesday said that the information sought by Congress members regarding the joining of eight MLAs into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be given to them latest by October 28.

When asked for his comments over the allegations made by Congress leaders that the office of the Speaker was delaying to furnish information sought under the Right To Information (RTI) Act for last over one-month, Tawadkar said, “Whatever asked by them (applicants) will be given to them by October 28. We will give all information within time-frame and there is no delay.”     

The Congress had on Monday stated that they are yet to get documents related to defection of eight MLAs into the BJP from the Legislature Department. 

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar and former president Girish Chodankar in separate applications have sought documents related to joining of eight MLAs into the Bharatiya Janata Party. The rebel MLAs joined the BJP on September 14. 

Both, Patkar and Chodankar is learnt to have submitted their applications under RTI Act on September 29. The Congress is contemplating to file disqualification petitions against the eight MLAs before the Speaker on the grounds of defection under the Anti-Defection Act.