Lack of quorum halts Margao council’s budget exercise

Only a handful of ruling Councillors turned up for the special meeting on Monday, prompting Chairperson Damu Shirodkar to adjourn the meeting for want of quorum.

MARGAO
A special meeting of the Margao Municipal Council convened on Monday to discuss and approve the budget estimates for the 2026-27 financial year had to be adjourned after some ruling BJP Councillors reported “sick”.
What has raised many an eyebrow is that almost all the opposition Councillors also stayed away from the crucial meeting.
Anxiety was writ large on the face of Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar as he was pinning his hopes on the ruling Councillors to report for the meeting and ensure the quorum.
After waiting for more than half an hour, during which time the civic chief was seen making frantic calls, Shirodkar finally announced his decision to adjourn the meeting for want of quorum.
At the time of adjournment, only nine Councillors were present in the meeting hall, including Chairperson Shirodkar, Vice-Chairperson Babita Naik, Mahesh Amonkar, Damodar Varak, Camilo Barretto, Milagrina Gomes, Sunita Paradkar, Sandra D’Costa and Shweta Lotlikar.
Pointing out that 13 Councillors are required to form a quorum at the special meeting, Shirodkar said he has no option but to adjourn the meeting, which is now rescheduled for Tuesday evening.
He told the media that a couple of Councillors have reported sick and hence could not make it to the council meeting.
Sources, however, say there’s something more than meets the eye. They demanded to know how exactly the Chairperson realised that some of the ruling Councillors had reported sick since he was anxiously waiting for their presence till the last. That’s not all. The absence of the opposition Councillors also added to speculation.
Given that the Chairperson has adjourned and rescheduled the meeting for Tuesday evening, sources do not rule out the possibility of intervention by BJP leaders to soothe ruffled feathers, if any, before tomorrow’s meeting.