the goan I network
MARGAO
Asserting that the Congress along with other political parties is bracing up to knock the doors of the High Court to ensure transparency in the delimitation and reservation of Zilla Panchayat constituencies, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on Saturday urged the government to hand over to the State Election Commission the process of delimitating ZP wards and reservation to avoid litigation.
Addressing the media in the presence of South Goa district Congress president Joe Dias and GPCC vice-president Altinho Gomes at the Congress office here on Saturday, the Opposition leader demanded that the government should immediately hand over the file pertaining to the delimitation and reservation of Zilla Panchayat wards to the State Election Commission.
“It is the duty and responsibility of the State Election Commission to undertake the task of delimitating the wards and reservation. The government has been found wanting in executing this work in a free and fair manner in the past. Given the bitter past experience, including the delimitation and reservation of Municipal wards in the past, the government should hand over the file to the SEC to compete the job”, he demanded, adding the ZP polls maybe even postponed further, but the exercise should be carried in a fair and transparent manner.
Adding that the Congress party is bracing up to move the court on the issue, as the party has come to the conclusion that justice will not be done over the question of delimitation and reservation of the ZP constituencies, Kamat said the regional party, MGP and candidates may also move the High Court on the issue. “When the High Court is seized of the matter on delimitation and reservation of wards pertaining to the 2015 Municipal election, and when the SEC had told the High Court that the Commission has the wherewithal to carry out the exercise, I see no reason why the government is assuming the powers of the SEC in the matter,” Kamat said, adding that former BJP Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had also given an assurance on the floor of the House that the exercise of delimitation and reservations will be entrusted to the SEC.
The Opposition leader pointed out that he had discussed the matter with Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho, who had assured to send the file to the SEC. He, however, said the file hasn’t yet reached the SEC till date, suspecting hanky panky in the entire matter.
When the media sought to know from the Congress district president Joe Dias over the postponement of the entry of former Raia ZP member Domnick Gaonkar in the Congress, he replied saying that many present and former ZP members will join the members after the completion of the delimitation and reservation exercise.
“There’s confusion prevailing everywhere on the question of delimitation and reservations. Prospective candidates will join the Congress only after this issue is resolved”, Joe said.
