Cong in Goa gives notice for removal of Assembly Speaker

The Opposition Congress in Goa on Friday gave a notice for removal of Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant.

The party, which has 16 members in the 40-member Assembly, also gave a 14-day notice for convening of a session of the House for undertaking the process of removing Sawant from the post.

The move came days after the party staked claim to form an alternate government, contending that the BJP-led ruling alliance had lost majority in the Assembly.

The government is headed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who is hospitalised in Delhi for a pancreatic ailment.

The notice for removal of Sawant was given under "Rule 243 of Rules and Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Legislative Assembly of Goa, read with Article 179C of the Constitution of India," Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said.

 

Rule 243 states provision for moving a resolution to ask for permission of the House to discuss about impeachment of the Speaker.

Kavlekar, however, refused to specify on what grounds it wants Sawant to be removed as the Speaker, saying the reasons will be spelt out on the floor of the House.

The legislators said they propose to move the motion to remove Sawant from the office of Speaker of Legislative Assembly at the end of 14 days' notice period.

"We cannot discuss the grounds for giving notice right now. When it comes up for discussion on the floor before voting, we will disclose our grounds," Kavlekar said.

When contacted, Sawant said, "prima facie, I dont find any merit in such a resolution but for the sake of reasonability, I will check the legality of such a resolution when it is brought to my notice."

Earlier this week, the Congress party had met Govenor Mridula Sinha and urged her to direct the BJP-led government to carry out a trust vote in the Assembly.

The paty wanted a special one-day session of the Assembly to be convened for it at the earliest.

The BJP has 14 seats in the Assembly, its allies Goa Forward Party and MGP have three each. Three Independents and an MLA from Nationalist Congress Party also support the BJP.