Panaji (GOA): The Bombay High Court at Goa will on June 19 pronounce its interim order in a disqualification petition filed by Congress party against its former MLA and incumbent BJP Minister Vishwajit Rane.

The arguments in the matter concluded today with Justice Mahesh Sonak reserving his order for coming Monday.

Rane had raised objection before the Court, stating that as per the Constitution, the petitioner should have first approached the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly with the disqualification plea rather than pleading before the High Court.

He said that his act was within the framework of the Constitution.

Congress party had moved High Court with a disqualification petition against Rane, seeking relief that Minister should be disqualified for being chosen as Legislator of the State Assembly for next five years (2022) or till the House is dissolved.

The petitioner had said that by abstaining from voting in the Goa Legislative Assembly on 16.03.2017, and by voluntarily giving up his membership Partnership Firm Indian National Congress Party, Rane had automatically incurred disqualification for being a member of the House from 16.03.2017 to 15.03.2022.

“Therefore, in terms of Article 191 of the Constitution of India, he stood disqualified for being chosen as or for being a member of the Goa Legislative Assembly between this period of five years as a mandate of Article 191 of the Constitution of India,” the Congress party prayed.

Team TNV