Opposition meets Governor; seeks dismissal of the Council of Ministers

Goa Khabar : Opposition MLAs led by LoP Yuri Alemao, have petitioned Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju demanding for Dismissal of the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Dissolution of the Goa Legislative Assembly on account of Unconstitutional Premature Curtailment of the Budget Session.

The memorandum submitted to Governor stated that the curtailment has violated Articles 174, 202, 203, and 208 of the Constitution of India, and the Model Code of Conduct obligations of the Election Commission of India — and further, that such Dismissal be proceeded with upon the Government’s Refusal or Failure to convene a Special Session of the Legislature as separately demanded.

AAP MLA Venzy Viegas, MLA Cruz Silva and RGP MLA Viresh Borkar were present on the occasion.

“If Government refuses, fails, or neglects to agree to or convene such Special Session within a reasonable time, recommend to the President of India the dismissal of the Council of Ministers led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant under Article 356 read with Article 174 of the Constitution, and advise dissolution of the Goa Legislative Assembly,” letter further stated.

“The Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers, in concert with the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, have abruptly and illegally curtailed the Budget Session, cutting short the constitutionally mandated legislative process, thereby preventing proper deliberation, debate, scrutiny, and approval of the State Budget,”

“The Election Commission of India (ECI), in its established constitutional practice, allows ongoing Budget Sessions to continue and conclude in States where bye-elections are scheduled or underway, subject to the observance of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). This practice has been followed by multiple States across the country, including during the current election cycle, where Legislatures in other States have lawfully continued their Budget Sessions concurrently with the operation of the MCC,” memorandum stated.

The opposition MLAs have said that the Chief Minister and the Speaker have committed a grave constitutional blunder by truncating the Budget Session.