Speaker Dismisses Disqualification Petition Against Eight Goa MLAs

Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar dismissed a disqualification petition filed by Congress leader Dominic Joao Noronha against eight Congress MLAs who joined BJP in 2022. Citing the Tenth Schedule, the Speaker noted that a substantial number, two-thirds, of legislators can merge without disqualification if they disagree with their party.

In a significant decision, Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Monday dismissed a disqualification petition filed against eight Congress MLAs who had defected to the BJP in 2022. The petition was filed by Congress leader Dominic Joao Noronha, who argued that their actions amounted to defection under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

However, Speaker Tawadkar rejected the plea, citing provisions that allow a group of legislators — constituting at least two-thirds — the right to merge with another party without facing disqualification. This effectively upheld the integrity of their merger with the BJP.

The political landscape in Goa remains altered as these developments leave the BJP with a commanding majority in the 40-member assembly, bolstered by the support of three Independent legislators.

(With inputs from agencies.)