Panaji/New Delhi, March 4: Goa?s acting Speaker used his casting vote today to save the month-old Congress government only to have the Centre impose President?s rule, calling the proceedings ?wrong?.

Acting Speaker Francisco Sardinha moved the motion after ruling that UGDP legislator Matanhy Saldanha, who is backing the BJP against his party?s diktat, was not entitled to vote. Saldanha is facing a disqualification petition that Congress?s Jitendra Deshprabhu has filed.

Amid loud BJP protests, ousted chief minister Manohar Parrikar asked Saldanha to stand and be counted. The parties, with an effective strength of 34 in the 40-member House, were tied at 16-16 following the disqualification.

The acting Speaker, elected as a Congress member, said he would use his casting vote in favour of the confidence motion, thus helping the Pratapsinh Rane government win.

Three hours later, however, the Union cabinet ?took suo motu action without waiting for any recommendation from the governor? to ?impose President?s rule in Goa and keep the Assembly in suspended animation?.

?It was not proper not to allow one member to vote and then get the confidence motion passed with a casting vote given by the Speaker. This is exactly what was done by the previous government. If that is wrong, this is also wrong,? home minister Shivraj Patil said after the cabinet meeting.

Parrikar called the vote a ?sham? and contended that Sardinha had no right to bar a legislator from voting. His party said an acting Speaker has no power to ?requalify or disqualify? a member.

The Constitution allows an acting Speaker all the powers of a Speaker and his actions inside the House are as valid as that of the latter. ?All powers of the Speaker are vested in acting Speaker,? said Shanti Bhushan, constitutional lawyer and former Union law minister.

He defended the ?letter of governor S.C. Jamir? that had ?pointed out that Sardinha would discharge the functions of the Speaker on an acting basis during the vote of confidence?.

Bhushan said a member of the House had to be appointed to the chair in the absence of the Speaker and the deputy speaker, both of whom had resigned in Goa.

The Speaker?s decision, however, can be challenged in a court of law. M.N. Krishnamani, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said the acting Speaker?s action could thus be legally challenged as it ?is questionable?. This, he added, ?is certain to be reflected on Monday when the Supreme Court takes up the issue for further hearings?.

The court, on Parrikar?s petition challenging his regime?s dismissal, today said it would watch the Goa developments and hear the matter on Monday.