the goan I network
MARGAO
The Goa Lokayukta Justice P K Mishra has declared that the former Sarpanch of Loutolim Inacinho Fernandes should not continue to hold the office of Sarpanch and or the ward member of the Panchayat.
The former Sarpanch, however, has begged to differ with the findings of the Lokayukta, and said he would submit his say on the matter before the authorities as and when called upon to do so.
Inacinho said the Lokayukta has only submitted a report on a complaint filed against him, and said he would answer all the queries raised in the report before the authorities, while disagreeing with the Lokayuta’s observation that he has betrayed the trust of the people.
The Lokayukta has prepared the report following a complaint lodged by a resident of Loutolim Franky Monteiro, alleging that Inacinho had misused and abused his position as Sarpanch, especially on the question of changing an advocate in a litigation.
In his report, Justice Mishra said “The respondent No 1 (Inacinho) was supposed to be the trustee of the public having been elected as a ward member initially and subsequently as Sarpanch of the Panchayat.
He was expected to discharge his duty as the trustee, but his conduct in raising the question of engagement of the Advocate and categorically saying that he was empowered to permit any matter to be raised even though the mater relating to change of advocate was not in the agenda, does not behove well in respect for an elected representative as he himself was the litigant in many such matters.
Similarly, his actions of getting the letter to the advocate typed and signed by the secretary and delivering the same himself personally to the advocate on the date when the matter was fixed without making any alternate arrangement was definitely an over enthusiastic misuse of his position as Sarpanch which was not expected from the elected representative and the trustee of the people’s faith.”
Justice further said in his report that it is apparent that the respondent has gone out of the way in ensuring the change of advocate for flimsy reason without ensuring any alternate arrangement whatsoever in respect of several matters pertaining to the panchayat, many of which related to the Sarpanch himself in his personal capacity.
“In my considered opinion, such a person is unfit to continue as a sarpanch and as a ward member of the panchayat. He has betrayed the trust of the people. It is accordingly held as contemplated in Section 16A that the respondent is unfit to continue as a sarpanch and member of the Panchayat,” Justice Mishra stated and declared that Inacinho should not continue to hold office of Sarpanch and or ward member of the Panchayat.
