MARGAO
The Goa Forward Party had demanded the immediate sacking of State Election Commissioner Chokha Ram Garg, IAS, and accused the SEC of working as per the directions given by the BJP state unit.
He further said the Pramod Sawant-led government has violated the Indian Constitution by making an independent SEC completely dependent on the government’s whims and fancies.
“Government’s attempts to make the SEC its puppet was so brazen that it started off with the resignation of R K Srivastava, the state commissioner who resigned on November 4, 2020. Couple of days later, the Law Secretary Chokha Ram Garg IAS was appointed as commissioner, which was nothing more than an illegal hijacking of the SEC, and Pramod Sawant and his government must be held accountable,” he demanded.
Sardesai stated that the Zilla Panchayat elections held on 12th December 2020 and the upcoming municipal polls have all been designed according to the whims and fancies of the BJP-led government. “The SEC commissioner is an agent of the BJP, who is working as per the directions given by the state unit. He needs to be sacked immediately,” he demanded.
“It is shameful that the government has to rig elections to win. It is shocking to learn government’s plans to proceed with the municipal elections without appointing an independent SEC.”
