In the recent panchayat elections, a peon in Assagao panchayat was elected as a panchayat member while the wife of a clerk in the same panchayat was also elected for the first time in the village, blurring the lines of separation between executive and the elected body in the panchayat.
Venkatesh Govekar who was working as a peon in the Assagao panchayat has been elected as panch member from ward 3 in the village while Ashwini Pokre wife of panchayat clerk Kundan Kerkar has been elected from ward 5.
Interestingly, Govekar’s father was a peon in the panchayat while his grandfather was the sarpanch of the village several years ago.
Govekar had applied for leave in order to contest the election and since he has been elected as panchayat member he will have to resign as the peon of the panchayat.
Assagao Sarpanch, Hanumant Naik informed that Govekar has indeed tendered his resignation from the post of peon soon after he was elected as the panchayat member.
So far we knew about husbands/wives, daughters /sons and sisters/brothers contesting and even winning elections. The new trend, however, has sparked a debate on how the dividing line between the executive and the elected body is thinning which could either lead to a conflict of interest or help in development of the village.
According to Sorter D’Souza, who is well versed in the Panchayat Raj Act, a family member getting elected was not a problem unless some favours are granted to the kin working in the panchayat.
“Tomorrow if the elected body decides on the salary or benefits for the staff working in the panchayat and if the panchayat member votes in favour of the resolution then it can be considered as pecuniary interest. So there are complications,” D’Souza opined.
He also said that a sarpanch has supervisory powers and if the clerk’s wife becomes the Sarpanch then how will she be able to act against her spouse.
Looking at the positive side of the development, coordinator of GOACAN, Roland Martins said that since people who were in administration have now become panchayat members it could also bring experience on the table as they have the knowledge of how the system works.
“In a panchayat meeting, the person who would be sitting outside the door will now sit inside the room and decide for the village. It makes a big difference and could also be healthy for the development of democracy,” Martins said.
A senior officer at the Directorate of Panchayat said he did not foresee any legal impediment for the clerk to function from the same panchayat where his spouse has been elected a panchayat member.
