MARGAO
The legal battle over the procedure for the election and removal of Municipal Chairpersons has begun in the High Court with ousted Margao Municipality chairperson Ganashyam Shirodkar filing a writ petition on Tuesday.
The petition is expected to come up for hearing before the court on Wednesday, which is likely to decide on the contentious issue of whether presiding officers enjoy the discretion to hold elections for the ouster of municipal chairpersons through the secret ballot or by show of hands.
Sources in the know informed that the government and the Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) may be expected to take a stand in the court on the election procedure.
The outgoing Goa Forward-backed outgoing MMC chairperson had quit office after a week of his election when the 15 BJP-backed Margao municipal councillors tabled a no-confidence motion against him. Though Ganashyam had made it to the chairperson’s post with a 15-10 vote margin after five BJP-backed councillors cross-voted in support of his candidature, the five city fathers later developed cold feet after the no-trust motion was decided by a show of hands.
Sources in the know pointed out that the outcome of the writ petition may have a bearing on the election of the new municipal chairperson. For, any decision of the court that a secret ballot ought to be a norm than an exception may prompt the Goa Forward-backed group in the civic body to contest the election for the vacant post of chairperson, hoping to garner the rebel councillors in the BJP group.
Sources further informed that the High Court decision in the matter may set the norm for elections and no-trust motions, not just in the municipal bodies, but also in the panchayat bodies.
Elections for the vacant post of Margao Municipal Chairperson has not yet been announced, with sources saying the poll will now take place in the coming month.
