Panaji (Goa) In a major relief to Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, the Bombay High Court at Goa today dismissed the disqualification petition filed against him by the Congress party.

Arguments in the matter concluded in September and the matter was posted for order today.  

Rane, is currently a BJP MLA and minister in the Manohar Parrikar government. He contested the bypolls of August 23 from Valpoi after having resigned his membership of the Assembly and Congress party to join BJP.    

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

Congress alleged that the Pro-tem Speaker could not have accepted Rane’s resignation because he had already incurred disqualification by abstaining from voting in terms of the whip.

Pending matter in High Court, a disqualification petition against the BJP leader was filed before the sitting Speaker Dr Pramod Sawant by MGP MLA Prasad Gaonkar. The same was informed to the Court.

The High Court had hinted that petitioner should have first approached Speaker and then judiciary.