India
SC agrees to hear urgent petition.
Updated : Mar 13, 2017, 09:46 PM IST
In a dramatic development, Congress has moved SC against Goa Governor's decision to invite Manohar Parrikar to form government in the state despite BJP emerging as the second largest party.
Goa Congress legislature party chief Chandrakant Kavlekar moved a petition in the SC challenging the decision. Congress claims that the Governor should have invited them to form government, as they are the single largest party with 17 seats. Advocate and spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi is likely to represent Congress in court.
Appealed SC that Parrikar's appt as Goa CM be quashed,SC admitted petition will be heard at 11am tomorrow: Sunil Kawthankar, Goa Cong Spox pic.twitter.com/smo77ZcLoQ
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017
The petition for urgent hearing was mentioned before CJI JS Khehar in the evening. Justice Khehar has agreed for an urgent hearing and it will be done tomorrow morning. Incidentally, Parrikar is slated to take oath as Goa CM tomorrow. But this new development puts a shadow of cloud over BJP forming government in the state. The SC is currently closed for Holi, but CJI has agreed for an urgent hearing.
Governor Mridula Sinha invited Parrikar to form the next government in the coastal state last night after he submitted a letter of support of 21 legislators. Three MLAs of the Goa Forward Party, three of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two Independents have pledged support to Parrikar. The BJP, which won 13 seats in the 40-member Goa Assembly, managed to garner support from other parties and Independents to attain majority under Parrikar.
The Congress got 17 seats in the recently concluded polls.
With agency inputs