VASCO/MARGAO
Goencho Avaaz on Monday hailed the decision of the high court in setting aside the reservation of municipal wards for elections to the civic bodies in Margao, Mormugao, Mapusa, Sanguem and Quepem.
In a press release, Goencho Avaaz General Secretary Ninio Correia said the reservations were ill-conceived, dubious and a manipulative plan of the State government in deciding the reservations and delimitations of wards.
"This verdict is a clear and decisive slap in the face of the State Election Commission. It is now time for the State Election Commissioner to own responsibility and resign, rather than further demean his office by obstinately sticking to the chair.”
“This, in fact, is not the first time that the State Election Commission has acted in such a dubious and vested manner, compelling the people of Goa to lose faith in its objectivity and lending substance to allegations that the Election Commission office was, in fact, functioning as a willing tool of the State government.” stated the press note.
Correia said it is extremely distressing that bureaucrats appointed to such important and supposedly autonomous positions, should have demeaned and diminished the standing of these statutory offices.
“It is a matter of deep shame that the ones appointed to protect and safeguard our democratic ethos are, in fact, responsible for inflicting irreparable damage to the traditional values and democratic set up of the state and the country. Perhaps, it is time for the people to re-visit the privileges and perks enjoyed by these institutions, in the absence of any corresponding accountability on their part," said the press note.
"Goencho Avaaz would also like to congratulate all petitioners who challenged the attempted fraud that the BJP was attempting to engineer through a pliant State Election Commission.”
“Goencho Avaaz also takes the opportunity to warn the BJP that it will keep a watchful eye on any attempts made by it to weaken the institution of the State Election Commission and vitiate the democratic values in the state through fraudulent means," added the press note.
