MARGAO
The Additional Director of Panchayats-II, South Goa Florina Fernandes has ordered that Loutolim Panch and former Sarpanch Xavier Fernandes is not eligible to continue as a member of the village panchayat during the term for which he has been elected.
Xavier, however, has pointed out that he does not agree with the order passed by the Additional Panchayat Director-II, South. He has disclosed plans to challenge the order before the competent authority to set it aside. Xavier has become the third panchayat member of Loutolim village panchayat, who were ordered to be removed by the authorities during the current term.
The petition was filed by a resident Franky Monteiro, who had alleged misuse and abuse of powers by the former Sarpanch Xavier Fernandes to allegedly favour panch member Inacinho Fernandes.
In the order, the Additional Panchayat Director stated, “From the nature of events which get unfolded in a single room structure which was assessed for the purpose of tax in the year 1997 has been overtly and covertly changed into a 14 rooms structure and it is based on this house number that the beneficiaries have conveniently resorted to take undue advantage to suit their convenience where in fact, they being elected representatives should have protected the mushrooming illegalities that spring up within their village without caring for such acts, when an elected representative itself walks tall by indulging into such remissions, it portrays a dismal picture of what law abiding citizens should do.”
The order added: “This only speaks volumes about the fact that when elected members who are supposed to be role models for its constituents if allowed to continue with such acts of commissions would only result in encouragements of perpetuating the ills of the illegalities there be would be a state of lawlessness.”
“Apart from this the haste in which the panch member has acted also raises eyebrows because the case related to an elected representative. Had such haste been showcased in other cases of common man, then an alternate view could have been taken saying that there was uniformity in reciprocal decisions on the requests made by others. A conscious effort has been made by the Respondent either to safeguard his chair or to appease his supporters so that he wins their support to remain on the chair is omnivisual or omnipresent the way things have unfolded in this case,” the order stated.
