Dominic Noronha’s petition challenging the disqualification of eight Congress MLAs who defected to the BJP was dismissed by the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly. The Speaker’s ruling noted that the MLAs were protected under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which allows for a deemed merger if two-thirds of a legislative party switches allegiance. Noronha expressed disappointment with the decision and intends to review the detailed order before deciding on his next steps. He argues that a proper interpretation should require a merger of the entire party rather than just the legislative faction, marking this as a significant issue in Goa’s political landscape​.