Panaji, March 23 Viresh Borkar, an MLA from the Revolutionary Goans Party, has moved a motion in the Goa assembly against Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar, alleging serious procedural violations and a "pre-determined" conduct of proceedings during the Budget Session, which was curtailed on March 16.
The Budget Session was curtailed on March 16 following the imposition of the code of conduct for the Ponda by-election, scheduled to take place on April 9.
The motion, submitted on March 21 under Rule 76 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, claimed that the speaker failed to correctly apply Rule 290 during the morning session, allowing an "inadmissible and prolonged" discussion on the model code of conduct in view of the Ponda Assembly by-election notification.
According to the motion, the discussion was not part of the listed business, did not qualify as a valid point of order, and was permitted to turn into a full-fledged debate in violation of procedural rules.
Borkar further claimed that the chair did not route the matter through the appropriate procedure under Rule 291, nor issued a clear ruling to resume scheduled business, thereby setting the stage for subsequent developments in the House.
He claimed in the motion that the afternoon session of March 16 was "scripted in advance in connivance with the executive".
He cited official documents, including the concluding remarks dated the same day, Assembly transcripts, the Business Advisory Committee's report, and video recordings, to claim that references to the passage of the Appropriation Bill and the completion of legislative business appeared in the past tense before the proceedings had actually concluded.
"This raises a grave constitutional question on whether the outcomes of the sitting, including the suspension of rules, the passage of 79 Demands for Grants, and the Appropriation Bill, were pre-decided," the motion stated while terming it a breach of legislative privilege and contempt of the House.
The MLA has requested that the matter be referred to the Committee on Privileges under Rule 80 for detailed examination.
He urged that relevant records be summoned, officials of the Legislature Secretariat be examined, and official recordings of both sittings be reviewed.
Borkar said he has filed the motion in discharge of his constitutional duty to safeguard the dignity and independence of the legislature and to ensure that the events of March 16 are properly examined and placed on record.