MARGAO
Confusion prevailed in some of the village Panchayats in Salcete over the wards delimitation exercise, with local stakeholders questioning the rationale adopted by the election officials, especially the Election Returning Officers/Jt. Mamlatdars.
In some of the villages, the numbers of wards have been changed without taking into account the houses located in the particular ward. In other areas such as Maina in Curtorim village, the wards have been reduced to two from three, when the area plays host to around 3000 voters.
Take the case of Assolna village. Sources pointed out that ward II with 405 voters is now changed to ward No I with 396 votes. Similarly ward no I with 396 votes is converted to ward No III with 635 vote, while ward No III with 635 vote is now changed to ward No II. It is feared that if the delimitation is expected as it is, the same ward with a different number may once again fall in the reserved category, meting out injustice on the people.
In one ward of the village, a couple of house numbers have not been shown in the ward. Similarly, a number of house numbers are repeated in repeated in two wards. Moreover, some of the house numbers do not appear in the list.
In Sao Jose de Areal, a particular ward does not exist on the village political map, as the draft has merged the ward in two other wards. The issue was deliberated by the panch members and it has been decided to bring the matter to the notice of the Election Returning Officer in-charge of Sao Jose de Area.
People from the Maina area of Curtorim are also up in arms over the draft delimitation. They have pointed out that the draft has proposed to reduce the wards in the area from three to two when the area plays host to around 3000 voters. “When the residents of Maina area are demanding a separate Panchayat given that its population is on par with many a 7-member panchayat bodies, the authorities deemed proper to further reduce the number of wards in the area”, protested ex-Zilla Panchayat member Moreno Rebello.
People from Maina were scheduled to have a meeting over the issue before lodging their objection to the draft proposal.
Similar objection has also come from other wards of Curtorim Panchayat. Former deputy Sarpanch J Santan Rodrigues pointed out glaring discrepancies in the draft delimitation proposal, demanding that the authorities effect the necessary changes to the draft.
Objection to the draft delimitation has come in from former Rachol Sarpanch Joseph Vaz, who has questioned the proprietary of the election officials in effecting changes, without rhyme or reason.
