MARGAO
Seraulim gram Sabha members on Sunday made a forceful demand to conduct all future elections, whether Lok Sabha, Assembly or Panchayat, with the help of ballot paper.
At the gram sabha chaired by Sarpanch Domingos Fernandes, a resolution was also adopted making it categorically clear that people are not in faovur of including any villages under the Planning and Development Authorites (PDAs).
The two resolutions were tabled by gram sabha member and social activist Rodney Almeida. Rodney pointed out that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are not reliable and prone to manipulations by vested interests to suit their requirements. The resolution demanded that all future elections, whether Lok Sabha, Assembly or Panchayat, be conducted by using the ballot paper. The demand for holding elections via the conventional ballot paper has gained momentum in recent times. Former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha had recently pitched in for the return of the ballot papers to check manipulation of the EVMs.
Rodney also demanded that the people of Goa are not in favour of including any villages under the PDAs until and unless the 73rd Amendment is introduced and passed by the Goa Assembly.
Rodney told The Goan that the people will not allow the inclusion of their villages in the PDA come what may until the 73rd Amendment is introduced and passed in the Goa Assembly.
Sarpanch Domingo Fernandes told the media that both the resolutions were adopted unanimously by the gram sabha, saying the panchayat will deliberate over the two resolutions at the body meeting before forwarding the two resolutions to the departments concerned.
Gram sabha member Santan Rodrigues told the Chair that the Sarpanch cannot bar any member from raising a public issue at the meeting though it may not be listed on the agenda.
