Speaker summons Churchill & Reginaldo on disqualification plea
PTI, PANAJI | 22 June 2011 18:30 IST
Goa Speaker Pratapsingh Rane today issued notices to a Congress Minister and a party legislator in connection with the disqualification petition filed against them.
Public Works Department Minister Churchill Alemao and Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco have been asked to remain present at 11.30 am on June 30 in the Speaker's chamber, where the petition will be heard.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Fransisco Micky Pacheco had filed the disqualification petition against the duo in October 2008 when both of them joined Congress without merging their party - Save Goa Front (SGF) - on whose ticket they were elected to the Assembly, with Congress.
In May 2011, Pacheco had revived his petition after Election Commission granted recognition to SGF.
On April 1, 2011, Joint Electoral Officer of Goa had notified that SGF was a recognised party having aeroplane as its symbol.
Pacheco, a former Minister, had sought the duo's disqualification under 10the schedule to the Constitution.
"Despite the claim of the respondents (Alemao and Lourenco) that the Save Goa Front had merged with the Indian National Congress, the Save Goa Front was very much alive, and continued to be a recognised political party," Pacheco had said in his letter to the Speaker.
Alemao, who had left Congress ahead of 2007 Assembly polls, had floated his own outfit, SGF.
The former Chief Minister later rejoined the Congress, claiming he has merged his outfit with the party, which is heading the ruling coalition in the coastal state.
