MARGAO
City-based lawyer, Adv Byron Rodrigues, representing the four panchayat members of Rumdamol disqualified by the Salcete Block Development Officer on Monday, said the BDO’s disqualification order will be challenged before the appropriate forum on Tuesday.
Adv. Byron said the BDO’s order is based on a claim made by complainant Mukesh Naik that the four Panchayat members had participated in the discussion at the Panchayat meeting held on January 18, 2024. “There was no discussion at the meeting on that day when the complaint had come up before the Panchayat. Hence, there is no question of disqualifying the four members”, he said.
He admitted that the Goa Panchayat Raj Act provides that the Chair or Panchayat members should recuse themselves when issues where they have interests comes up for discussions. “In the instant case, the question of recusing by the Members will come only when the complaint comes up for discussion. Since there was no discussion on the complaint, there was no question of recusing by the four Panchayat members”, he added.
