MARGAO
Moments after submitting his resignation on Thursday, Margao Municipal Chairperson Ganashyam Shirodkar has disclosed plans to knock the doors of the Judiciary to challenge the discretionary powers given to the Presiding Officers to conduct elections and to preside over no-confidence motions.
He also disclosed plans to challenge the Government’s Amendment barring no-confidence motions against Municipal Chairpersons if they survive a motion. “This Amendment is ridiculous. It has no basis. The Amendment ought to have barred a no-trust motion against an elected Municipal Chairperson at least for six months after his election. Instead, the Amendment seeks to protect a Chairperson from a no-trust motion if he survives such a motion. But, an elected Chairperson has no protection from being voted out of office within a week’s time as has happened in my case,” he said.
Questioning the discretionary powers given to the Presiding Officers in conducting elections to the post of Chairperson and the no-trust motions, Ganashyam wondered how come the Presiding officer conducts an election by secret ballot, while allowing show of hands to decide a no-trust motion. “Now, we hear some moves that even elections for the post of Municipal chairpersons would be conducted by show of hands. If this happens, it would be murder of democracy,” he said, adding that he would move the courts and various other forums to protect democracy at the grassroot level.
