The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Goa governor and speaker of the state Assembly, responding to the to the petition of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs, who challenged their disqualification during the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister Digamber Kamat.

The notices were issued by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, asking them to file their replies, after hearing arguments.

Senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi, who appeared for the petitioners, claimed that the BJP-led opposition coalition enjoyed support of  20 MLAs in a house of 40. He added that the effective strength of the assembly was 38, which meant the Congress-led Kamat government was in minority.

Pandurang alias Deepak Dhavalikar and Sudin Dhavalikar of the MGP, in separate petitions, challenged the legality of the last minute ex-parte ad-interim order passed by Speaker Pratapsingh Rane, restraining them from voting in the confidence motion moved by Chief  Minister Kamat.