Panaji, Jul 1 (IANS): Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Rajesh Patnekar on Monday granted a week's time to two BJP MLAs to respond to a disqualification petition rejoinder filed by a Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLA.

"I have given the two MLAs a week's time to reply to the rejoinder petition filed by MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar, who has said that BJP MLAs Manohar Ajgaonkar and Deepak Pauskar should not be allowed to vote during the session, because of the petition pending against them," Patnekar told the media at the state assembly complex.

The original petition filed on May 3 seeks the disqualification of Ajgaonkar, now the Deputy Chief Minister and Pauskar who quit the party just after midnight on March 27 and merged their breakaway legislative with into the BJP.

The rejoinder filed by former Public Works Department Minister Dhavalikar, subsequently, seeks to debar the duo from voting as well as participating in the proceedings of the monsoon session of the assembly which begins on July 15.