MARGAO
All eyes are on the unfolding political drama at two key local self-government bodies in Salcete, as members of the 9-member Rumdamol village panchayat and the 11-member Navelim village panchayat prepare to elect new sarpanchas on Monday.
Adding to the day’s significance, the South Goa Zilla Panchayat ” which has jurisdiction over the entire South Goa district ” will also conduct the formal election of its new chairperson.
Both Rumdamol and Navelim panchayats fall under the BJP-ruled Navelim Assembly constituency and have been in the spotlight for varying reasons in the run-up to the sarpanch elections. The elections follow the voluntary resignations of the former sarpanchas from both panchayats, in line with a mutual understanding within the ruling groups of each body.
Interestingly, the upcoming elections are taking place nearly two months after the outgoing sarpanchas stepped down.
Court stay reignites Rumdamol sarpanch election
The election for the Sarpanch of Rumdamol village panchayat, scheduled for Monday morning, is drawing intense attention from villagers and Panchayat Raj activists due to the controversies that have emerged in the run-up to the event.
A major development shaping the election is the disqualification of four panchayat members ” outgoing Sarpanch Mubina Faniband, Samuilla Faniband, Mustafa Dodamani, and Zubeda Agasar ” by the Salcete Block Development Officer (BDO) on July 28. This move temporarily reduced the ruling group, which had enjoyed a majority in the nine-member panchayat since the 2022 elections, to just one member. As a result, the opposition group seemingly gained an upper hand.
However, the dynamics shifted significantly after the South Goa District Court issued a stay on the BDO’s disqualification order. With this legal relief, the four disqualified members have regained their right to participate in the sarpanch election, restoring their group’s simple majority of five in the body.
Despite this development, questions remain within panchayat circles about whether the four members can legally participate in Monday’s election. Concerns have been raised because the Panchayat Secretary did not serve them the official meeting notice for the election. Sources revealed that the election was scheduled on July 29, a day after the disqualification order was issued. As the disqualified members were barred from participating in any panchayat activities, the meeting notice was not extended to them.
Nonetheless, legal experts argue that the lack of a meeting notice cannot be grounds to prevent the four members from voting, especially since the District Court has stayed their disqualification. The court’s stay comes after counsel for the four members submitted a memo detailing the election schedule and argued that their exclusion without judicial intervention would cause irreparable harm and render the pending revision would become infructuous.
As the village braces for Monday’s election, all eyes are on how the unfolding legal and procedural issues will ultimately influence the outcome.
Navelim to elect new sarpanch after mysterious poll postponement
The 11-member Navelim panchayat will elect a new Sarpanch on Monday, necessitated by the resignation of outgoing Sarpanch Michael Cardozo two months ago.
While the election for the key post might have otherwise gone unnoticed, it drew public and political attention after Director of Panchayats, Siddhi Halarnkar, abruptly postponed the originally scheduled July 3 election without providing any official reason. The rationale behind the postponement and the legal provision invoked under the Goa Panchayati Raj Act remains unclear, sparking speculation and raising questions in local political circles.
The ruling group comprising of Michael Cardozo and Paul Pereira are confident of retaining power in the 11-member panchayat. Sources said Michael had tendered his resignation to pave way for Paul to take over the reign of office.
Many an eyebrow was raised in Navelim political circles after the Panchayat Director’s sudden decision postponing the election scheduled on July 3. The Michael-Paul group, however, exuded confidence that despite the postponement of the election, their group is united as ever and will retain power in the body.
BJP’s Anita Thorat to take over as South Goa ZP chairperson today
The upcoming election for the post of Chairperson of the South Goa Zilla Panchayat, scheduled for Monday, is set to be a mere formality. The Presiding Officer has received only one nomination ” that of Sancoale Zilla Panchayat member Anita Thorat ” effectively ensuring her unopposed election.
Thorat is expected to serve as Chairperson for the remaining four months of the current term, with Zilla Panchayat elections anticipated around November-December this year.
Her election, however, holds political significance for the ruling BJP, as it reflects the party’s continued dominance over the 25-member body. The BJP holds a comfortable majority, with the opposition lacking the numbers to pose any credible challenge. Anita Thorat will be the third BJP leader to occupy the South Goa Zilla Panchayat chairperson’s post during the current term, following Suvarna Tendulkar and Sanjana Velip had presided over the post.
