File affidavit on Manohar Parrikar's health: Bombay HC orders Goa Chief Secretary

PANAJI: Amid concerns over ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's health, the Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the state's Chief Secretary to file an affidavit regarding the same.

According to news agency ANI, the order was passed by the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court to Goa Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma.

The court directed Sharma to file an affidavit on Goa Chief Minister's health condition by December 7.

Earlier on December 4, the court had directed Sharma to file the affidavit on December 5. 

However, the Chief Secretary sought some more time in the matter. 

The case will now come up for hearing again on December 11.

"The Bombay High Court in Panaji directed Goa Chief Secretary to file an affidavit on the status of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar`s health by December 7, after the state government once again sought an adjournment in the matter," lawyer for the petitioner Rohit Bras D`Sa told ANI.

On October 28, Goa`s Health Minister Vishwajit Rane revealed that Parrikar was suffering from pancreatic cancer. 

The Goa Chief Minister was discharged from Delhi`s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on October 14 after undergoing treatment.

The Congress party had earlier claimed that Goa is facing a leadership crisis due to Parrikar`s ill health. The Rahul Gandhi-led party has been demanding that they should be allowed to form the government in the state.

Amid concerns over Parrikar's health, Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Naik had said that the leadership in Goa will have to be changed today or tomorrow. 

"Change (of leadership in Goa) will have to be done today or tomorrow. It is a requirement. You know the Chief Minister’s health is not good. But he (Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar) is still working in this condition," Naik said on November 9. 

(With ANI inputs)