MARGAO
Finally, women from the Pajifond ward of Margao Municipal Council have something to cheer about.
The long wait is finally over for the womenfolk of Pajfond as they will now be eligible to claim their Constitutional right of 33 per cent reservation in the ensuing municipal elections.
The government has finally reserved Pajifond for women, the first time in the last three decades, with the ward finding a mention in the reserved category wards unveiled on Friday.
Statistics reveal that Pajifond ward was never reserved for women during the last 30 years, with successive governments conveniently manipulating the reservation to satisfy the cronies of the political class.
The government decision to bow to public sentiments comes against the backdrop of the fact that women, including women’s rights activists, have been questioning the rationale of the reservation system denying reservation to them under the 74th Constitutional Amendment.
Incumbent MLA Vijai Sardesai and former two-time BJP MLA Damu Naik have welcomed the decision to reserve the ward for women in the ensuing municipal election.
Damu, who had assured in 2015 that the government would undo the injustice done to the womenfolk in Pajifond, said the decision empowers the women to contest the ensuing municipal poll as per their right guaranteed under the constitution.
In 2015, women’s rights activist, Auda Viegas, had moved the High Court with a plea to reserve the Pajifond ward for women after the government failed to do so.
Commenting on the development, Auda said she felt elated that a woman from Pajifond will be finally entitled to contest in a reserved ward. “My petition to the government finally stands vindicated. This is good news for me. I hope that many women candidates from Pajifond throw their hat in the ensuing elections,” Auda said, while wishing the prospective candidates the very best.
The Pajifond ward has been represented by former MMC Chairperson Santosh Raiturkar for two terms, followed by former Councillor, Raju Naik, who won from the ward for three consecutive terms, before his plans to play the fourth innings from the ward was cut short in 2015 by outgoing councillor Angelis Pereira.
