The High Court of Bombay Goa on Monday heard Congress and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP)'s petition challenging Goa Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar’s order dismissing the disqualification petition filed against 12 rebel party MLAs together, adjourning for final hearing on December 10.
The court has also issued notice to the 12 rebel party MLAs and asked to file a reply by December 6.
Rajya Sabha MP and lawyer Vivek Tankha, who appeared before the Bombay High Court bench in Goa, also said that another regional party 'Goa Forward' on Monday filed another petition in support of the plea filed by Chodankar and the High Court issued fresh notices to the 10 MLAs and Speaker Rajesh Patnekar for a response.
Both petitions, the counsel said, have been clubbed together for disposal.
"The counsel for the Speaker, the Advocate General was present and now (the matter) is listed for final disposal on December 10. Before that, all parties have to complete their pleadings. All parties have to complete their pleadings by December 9. On December 10, the HC will hear everybody," Tankha said.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar has challenged the Speaker’s verdict delivered in April this year dismissing his disqualification petition against 10 former MLAs for defecting to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in July 2019.
While MGP MLA Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar has also challenged the Speaker’s judgment dismissing his disqualification petition against two former MLAs – Deputy Chief Minister Manohar (Babu) Ajgaonkar and PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar, who defected to BJP in March 2019.