Governance likely to take
hit with month to go for result
Major policy decisions only after EC nod
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
With more than a month to go before the counting of votes is held on March 11, the State Government is unlikely to take any major policy decisions during this period.
Speaking to The Goan, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said, “I want to push for the things I have already started. I will not take up any new things or any policy decisions.”
Stating that he would clear the pending files, he said, “I have even received files yesterday. I had told my office to send me files which are to be cleared urgently as I have been in the constituency only for the last few days.”
Pointing out that he is lucky to continue in THE Chief Minister’s chair even after the polls for over a month, he said, “Such a situation is being seen in Goa for the first time that the earlier chief minister continues in the chair for over a month after the elections. I am lucky that way.”
Officials at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer however said that the government can take policy decisions during this period if it wishes to; however, with the prior permission of the Election Commission.
“The government can function during this period. However, if any major policy decisions need to be taken, it will have to take prior permission from the Election Commission,” he said.
Meanwhile, speaking to The Goan, former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said that such a long gap of over a month is bound to bring the government and governance to a standstill.
“The month-long gap between polling and counting of votes tends to occur when four to five states go to polls together and in phases. In 2012, we went to polls in the last phase of other states and hence, the gap was a mere three days. But this time, we were included in the first Phase with Punjab. In Goa, we haven't had such a long gap in recent years. It is bound to bring the government to a standstill and the administration will be hampered to a certain extent as not a lot of decisions can be taken,” he said.
