Panaji: Revolutionary Goans Party MLA Viresh Borkar has submitted a detailed petition to the Election Commission of India (ECI), seeking urgent clarification on whether the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the Ponda by-election was used to justify curtailing the Goa Legislative Assembly’s Budget Session 2026.

In his letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner, Borkar questioned the legality and constitutional validity of the government’s decision to abruptly end the session on March 16, despite it being scheduled till March 27.


—

Key Allegations

Borkar claimed that:

A ₹30,194 crore state budget was passed without discussion on demands for grants, raising concerns over violation of constitutional provisions.

21 private member bills, including six introduced by him on land protection, khazan wetlands, TCP reforms and panchayat governance, were not taken up for debate and allowed to lapse.

Opposition MLAs were allegedly removed from the House during the passage of the Appropriation Bill, casting doubts on the legitimacy of the process.



—

Questions Raised to ECI

Borkar has sought clarity on:

Whether the ECI issued any directive to curtail or suspend the Assembly session.

Whether MCC for a single constituency by-election can restrict the functioning of the entire state legislature.

Whether legislative discussions and assurances violate MCC norms.



—

Constitutional Argument

The MLA argued that:

The Model Code of Conduct is not a law, but an executive guideline without statutory backing.

The Election Commission’s powers under Article 324 do not extend to controlling or restricting a state legislature.

Legislative proceedings are protected under constitutional provisions and privileges.



—

Serious Concerns Raised

Borkar warned that using MCC to halt legislative functioning sets a “dangerous precedent”, allowing governments to bypass debate and scrutiny.

He also pointed out that other states facing similar by-elections continued their legislative sessions uninterrupted, questioning why Goa’s session was curtailed.


—

Demand from ECI

The RGP MLA has demanded:

A public clarification on whether MCC applies to Assembly proceedings.

Disclosure of any communication between ECI and the Goa government.

A clear advisory to prevent misuse of MCC in future.

Action if ECI’s name was invoked without authorization.


Borkar stated that the people of Goa have a right to know whether the Assembly session was curtailed on ECI’s directions or due to a political decision. He urged the Commission to respond urgently to uphold democratic accountability.


—

Broader Political Debate

The issue comes amid a wider political debate in Goa over the sudden end to the Budget Session, with opposition leaders also questioning the move.