The Hindu : Front Page : Digambar Kamat Government ‘wins’ floor test in Goa

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Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007
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Digambar Kamat Government ‘wins’ floor test in Goa

Prakash Kamat

3 MLAs restrained from voting, motion carried by voice vote

PANAJI: Amidst vociferous protests by the Opposition, Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Monday won the floor test in the Assembly by a voice vote. Earlier, Speaker Pratapsinh Rane restrained three legislators from taking part in the vote of confidence through an ad interim ex parte order on the disqualification petitions against them.

Following the order against the MLAs, two of whom were present, the ruling group and the Opposition were virtually tied 18-18 in a truncated House of 37. However, the motion was carried with a stunned Opposition not asking for a division.

The Speaker, who had inadvertently stated that he cast his vote with the Government, later expunged his words as he realised it was a voice vote.

The BJP-led Opposition Goa Democratic Alliance (GDA) staged a walkout alleging violation by the Speaker of the Governor’s order to take up a confidence vote first. Condemning the Speaker’s action as “murder of democracy,” Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar said, “The Governor had given a clear direction to hold no other business except a confidence motion and what the Speaker did was to artificially alter the composition of the House by passing orders against three MLAs.” After going through the motion of confidence, in the absence of the Opposition, the House passed the State’s annual budget and the Speaker adjourned the House sine die.

The Kamat Government was reduced to a minority last week when the two-member Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and an independent legislator withdrew their support and one Congress MLA resigned.

The ruling side was reduced from 23 to 19, including the Speaker, in the 40-member House. The Opposition strength rose to 20. The GDA has 14 BJP MLAs, Save Goa Party-2, United Goans Democratic Party-1, MGP-2 and one independent.

Stand justified

Goa Assembly Speaker Pratapsinh Rane said here on Monday that he restrained three legislators from taking part in the vote of confidence through an ad interim ex parte order on the disqualification petitions against them. Mr. Rane t old presspersons that he had fixed August 13 for hearing the legislators, asking why the orders against them should not be made final.

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Constitutional fraud in Goa

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