MARGAO
Term them as “interactions” or simply “dictations”, no meeting of the Margao Municipal Council will take place without the ruling City Fathers going into a huddle with their political masters, be it Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai.
In fact, when the Digambar-Vijai duo was controlling the Margao Municipal Council over the years as part of the Margao Civic Alliance, the duo used to go into a huddle with the ruling group of councillors at the Goemkar Ghor, Goa Forward headquarters.
With the Margao Civic Alliance down and out after the Margao MLA quit the Congress to embrace the BJP , ruling BJP-backed councillors now hold their interaction on the eve of the Council meetings either at a city hotel or at the Malbhat office of the Margao MLA.
If sources are to be believed, the MLAs guide their flock on how to go about the agenda at the scheduled meeting of the Council. And, the councilors will ensure that the will of their political masters prevails at the meetings.
When The Goan sought to know their comments why the two MLAs do not make it to the Council meetings, both the Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai conceded that they have played a major role in the election of candidates contesting on their respective panesl.
The duo, however, were evasive when questioned over their absence at the Council meetings. In fact, the Goa Forward chief said he really does not know whether he should take part in the proceedings of the council meetings.
His Margao counterpart Digambar Kamat, however, pointed out that though he campaigns across the city in support of the candidates, he prefers to stay away from the Council meeting for a host of reasons.
One, Kamat said since the Councillors are elected by the people, they should enjoy the freedom of taking decisions at the Council meetings. “No doubt, we MLAs also received the meeting agenda or the minutes of the meeting. Whenever, we feel that certain decisions are not in the interest of the Council or the people, we do not hesitate to convey our message to the chairperson or the councillors”, he added.
Opponents, however, say the MLAs “remote control” the proceedings at the council meeting to suit their interests, leaving no freedom for the elected representatives to take their stand on contentious issues. “If the MLAs could hold “tuition” classes for the councillors on the eve of the council meeting, why can’t they make it to the meetings and take responsibility for decisions taken behind closed doors”, remarked an opponent.
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BOX
Section 9A of the Goa Municipalities Act (HEAD)
Right of Members of the Legislative Assembly to associate at the meeting.
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Act, the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Goa representing the Constituency which comprises wholly or partly by municipal area, 46[ ] shall have right to associate at the meeting of the concerned Municipal Council and take part in the proceedings of the Council but shall have no right to vote.
(2) For every meeting of a Council, a notice of meeting specifying the date, hour and place at which such meeting is to be held and the business to be transacted thereat shall be served upon the concerned Member of Legislative Assembly of the State of Goa.
