Goa Congress MLAs' Defection: Supreme Court Dismisses Plea

The Supreme Court rejected a plea by Congress challenging the Goa assembly speaker's decision not to disqualify eight Congress MLAs who defected to the BJP. Congress leader Girish Chodankar was advised to approach the Bombay High Court. Disqualifications were dismissed due to a merger rule exception.

The Supreme Court declined to entertain a plea from Congress, which contested the Goa assembly speaker's rejection of a disqualification petition against eight MLAs who defected to BJP. The Supreme Court advised Congress leader Girish Chodankar to take the matter to the Bombay High Court's Goa bench.

On November 1, Goa assembly speaker Ramesh Tawadkar had dismissed the disqualification petition filed by Chodankar. The plea was filed against MLAs including Digambar Kamat, Aleixo Sequeira, and others, citing defection.

However, Speaker Tawadkar ruled that the disqualification rule does not apply in cases where the political party merges with another party, thus allowing members to choose to align with the merger or oppose it without facing disqualification.

(With inputs from agencies.)