MARGAO
Agitated gram sabha members of Curtorim panchayat on Sunday forced the panchayat secretary to adjourn the meeting, questioning the rationale behind holding the meeting when the newly-elected panch members are yet to take oath of office till date.
As the gram sabha was being held on the eve of the election of the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch scheduled on Sunday, gram sabha member J Santan Rodrigues questioned the move when the elected members have still not assumed office.
Santan has further demanded to know whether the panchayat secretary is empowered to call for a gram sabha meeting when the power lies with the Sarpanch. He demanded to know how the Panchayat secretary can call for a gram sabha when the panchayat is presently under the rule of the Administrator.
Other members pointed out that since none of the newly-elected 11 panchayat members are present for the meeting, the meeting should be immediately adjourned for a future date.
Santan later told the media that the Secretary defended his decision to hold the gram sabha on the instruction of the Salcete Block Development Office since the Panchayat did not hold the mandatory gram sabhas.
Incidentally, a similar gram sabha was called by the Administrator of the Cavelossim panchayat a week ago. The meeting, however, was adjourned after the members pointed out that the meeting should take place after the newly-elected members assume office.
It is learnt that the Administrator of the Dramapur-Sirlim panchayat has also called for a gram sabha of the Panchayat on August 28.
