The Supreme Court stay on the implementation of the High Court order setting aside the election process of five municipalities in Goa has given yet another dimension to the narrative. The State government appears to be claiming victory, and the State Election Commission has complemented it by swiftly announcing a revised election schedule. It comes as a surprise that the election machinery has swung into action even before the court could deliver its verdict.
It's been a saga of twists and surprises so far. The urgency with which the State government's plea was taken up for hearing highlights the fact that there were extreme time constraints. Since the filing of nominations was closing on Thursday, a delay in hearing would only render the petition infructuous defeating the very purpose of moving the court. We understand the herculean efforts that went into bringing it before the Apex court on Thursday, despite being not listed until late Wednesday evening. However, can this SC stay be construed as a victory for the petitioners, against the backdrop of a Tuesday disposal date? Isn't it premature to announce that "democracy is restored" when the apex court is yet to give its final say?
The municipality elections continue to be a sordid tussle of political upmanship with a focus on the judiciary as the mediator. Interestingly, while the State government pleads based on Article 329 barring courts from interfering in ongoing elections processes, it is consciously defending an infringement of a democratic process.
The State Election Commission, strangely, despite the HC rap, hasn't mended its ways, and its decisions continue to lack electoral reasoning. Lest we forget, the SEC went ahead announcing the poll schedule on the eve of the HC hearing only to be slammed by the bench. It was reprimanded for being a mute spectator, for pushing all the blame on the Directorate of Municipal Administration and for its silence as a constitutional authority which the court termed highly detrimental to the democratic concept of the country.
The SEC is at it once again. It has announced a revised scheduled to the five Municipalities despite the matter pending disposal. The hurry once again is baffling when the election to the 5 councils, either way, was to be held separately. The election body could have waited for the SC to dispose of the matter on Tuesday and decide on a new schedule based on outcomes in court.
The Supreme Court interim order cannot be assumed as a verdict for or against the State government and any hasty decision taken now could create further chaos in the electoral process of the five municipalities.
Prospective candidates in Margao, Mormugao, Mapusa, Curchorem and Sanguem were clueless till now, and they will continue to be so till the matter is resolved. Judicial processes must be respected and politicos must refrain from jumping the gun and interpreting court actions to suit respective agendas.
