PANJIM: The winter session of the Goa Legislative Assembly will held from January 11-15. The session appears to be a stormy one as Independent MLA Naresh Sawal plans to move a private members bill to give official status to Marathi, on par with Konkani.
Sawal has already raised doubts that the bill may be rejected before it is introduced on the floor of the house. Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva and St Andre MLA Vishnu Surya Wagh have also moved bills seeking amendments to the Official Language Act.
Besides the governor’s speech, no business will be conducted on the first day. During this session, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly will be elected. The nominations for both will be held on Monday; the Speaker will be elected on January 12 and the Deputy Speaker on January 14.
There are chances that Anant Shet will be elected as the former and Wagh as the latter. Meanwhile, Rajendra Arlekar, who resigned as the Speaker, will now sit on the floor of the house as a minister.
Over 700 questions have been asked by all legislators, of which hardly 25 to 30 will be discussed in the house.
Besides private member bills to amend the Official Language Act, other bills will also be introduced in this session, including a bill to regularize unauthorized structures and encroachments, a bill to set up a common selection commission for C & D employees, amendment to CCP Act and amendment to the GSIDC Act.
