Other States - Goa

Trust vote was a sham, says Jamir

By Our Special Correspondent

PANAJI, FEB. 3. The Goa Governor, S.C. Jamir, today termed the action of the Speaker, Vishwas Satarkar, in conducting Wednesday's vote of confidence in the Assembly "a complete sham" and "a mockery of parliamentary democracy."

Mr. Jamir, in a written communication signed by his Officer on Special Duty, Sebastian Zumvu, said that such actions were blatant violations of all accepted democratic norms and direct assaults on the sanctity of the office of Speaker.

Any person who occupies the Speaker's chair should remain neutral and act in an impartial manner and, for all practical purposes, he should cease to be a member of any political party. It is the Speaker's responsibility to protect the sanctity of the chair he occupies. "But the action of the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly in initiating the disqualification proceedings in respect of the Independent member, Shri Filipe Neri Rodrigues, was clearly with an ulterior motive to reduce the numerical strength of the INC-led United Legislature Party," the statement said.

"Proceedings chaotic"

It was "most unfortunate" and against the spirit of the Constitution that "the proceedings of the august House were reduced to a farce." Mr. Jamir was convinced that the conduct of proceedings "was absolutely chaotic and a serious blot on democracy." Accordingly, he dismissed the Government headed by Manohar Parrikar under Article 164 after weighing all the facts and circumstances and after due application of mind.

Having received a letter from the ULP, signed by all the 18 members, staking its claim to form the government and convinced that it could provide a stable government, Mr. Jamir had sworn in Pratapsinh Rane Chief Minister.

Charges refuted

However, Mr. Satarkar refuted the charges and said that Mr. Jamir had no authority "to pass comment on him." Whatever he had done was as per the business rules of the House and the Constitution.

Mr. Satarkar said he was also a constitutional authority just like the Governor and "the Governor had no business to interfere with his functioning." The Speaker's actions could not be gone into by the Governor and only courts had the authority to do so, he maintained. "I am not a nominated authority and am elected by the House," he said.

The Governor had asked him to convene the session on February 2 to conduct the business of the Government seeking a vote of confidence and send the report soon after the session was adjourned. The session's timing was 2.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. However, the Governor did not even wait for his report and dismissed the Government at 6.35 p.m., he claimed.

Mr. Satarkar regretted that Mr. Jamir had prorogued the House on Wednesday, while it was entirely in his domain to do so. "I am governed by the rules of the House as well as the Constitution," he said.

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