PANAJI
Speaking to The Goan, Minister for Panchayats Mauvin Godinho has said that the State Government, in keeping with the order of the Bombay High Court at Goa, decided to hold the election on July 1.
“The State Election Commission will decide the final schedule for the polls,” Godinho said referring to the dates for nomination, scrutiny and withdrawal, for the polls to be held on that date.
Earlier Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, said that the Supreme Court agreed with the stand taken by the State government that the process cannot be interfered once it has begun.
“Supreme Court has made its decision clear even earlier and reiterated it time and again that once the election process starts, intervention cannot be done, except by the election commission itself or a natural calamity. There may be 500 disputes. Those disputes can never be considered at that time and only once the elections are done, then the courts can change decisions,” Parrikar said.
He reiterated his earlier statements that henceforth the delimitation and reservation will be done by the State Election Commission through framing of proper rules.
“We have decided that this should be done by the state election commission. Needlessly there are allegations against us. Let it be fair and transparent and be done by an authority. Even if the authority makes a mistake there will be no problem,” Parrikar said.
He also said that if the delimitation is done well in advance, those who want to stand for elections will not suffer last minute “heartburn” to know that their ward has been reserved or changed.
“We respect the independence of certain constitutional authorities,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said.
