Data uploaded on the ‘Panchayat Nirnay’ portal of the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj shows that only 147 village panchayats conducted the mandatory Gram Sabhas in the first quarter, with 44 bodies failing in the mandatory requirement of convening these meetings. South Goa emerged as the worst-performing district, with nearly 43 per cent of its village panchayats failing to hold Gram Sabhas. Of the 89 village panchayats in South Goa, 38 did not convene a Gram Sabha during the April–June period. More worrying still, second-quarter data shows that more than 90% of panchayats are yet to schedule their next meetings, raising fears that the first-quarter lapse may soon become a recurring pattern. Under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, every panchayat is required to hold at least four ordinary Gram Sabha meetings each year, one in every quarter. The Gram Sabha was conceived as the cornerstone of the Panchayati Raj system and a forum where every villager has the right to participate, speak, question, and even vote. Goa has a long tradition of civic engagement and the Gram Sabhas serve as an important platform for holding local governments accountable and safeguarding local interests. Rural Goa has seen some of the fiercest discourses at Gram Sabhas in recent years. Yet, the data suggests that this vital democratic institution is steadily being pushed to the sidelines.
The data does not make for good reading, especially when Goa's rural landscape is fighting for its identity and cultural balance. A failure in public engagement at the Gram Sabhas only highlights the increasing reluctance among panchayats to face public scrutiny. Gram Sabhas are the primary forum and a megaphone for residents to question controversial real estate projects, challenge land conversions and building permissions, seek explanations for public spending, and demand action against illegal construction. They have also been used to oppose contentious zone changes under Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning Act, mega projects or the recent Naksha survey.
Rather than engage with these uncomfortable questions, some panchayats appear to be avoiding the meetings altogether, either by delaying announcements, postponing sessions indefinitely, or simply allowing them to lapse. When elected representatives avoid meeting the very people they represent, the credibility of grassroots democracy begins to erode. Treating mandatory Gram Sabha meetings as optional defeats the very purpose of decentralisation envisioned under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. Villages such as Orlim and Dramapur-Sirlim have shown how empowered Gram Sabhas can influence development decisions by stalling environmentally damaging projects. But such democratic oversight becomes impossible when citizens are denied the opportunity to express themselves. Denying locals a voice means depriving key stakeholders of their right of expression, and creating a vacuum where lawlessness can thrive
Democracy cannot function at the convenience of those in office. Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho must ensure that panchayats comply with their statutory obligations and impose meaningful penal action on those that repeatedly fail to do so. There has to be accountability and transparency at every level of governance. The Gram Sabha is not a bureaucratic formality but the foundation of local self-governance. Once those entrusted with public office begin silencing that forum, the very spirit of participatory democracy is eroded. Gram Sabhas are not losing relevance; instead, they remain a fiery frontline for grassroots democracy. Panchayats, irrespective of their allegiances, should not silence the very voices that protect the heart and soul of rural Goa.
