the goan I network
PANAJI
The process of delimitation is proving to be difficult for the state government and despite several promises that the final notification of delimitation was coming ‘soon’ is yet to see the light of day more than ten days after May 5, the date the state government told the Bombay High Court at Goa the process would be completed.
The delay in the notification, has spurred rumours and protests from several village panchayats, ‘leaks’ of the final delimitation have been circulating.
Sources in the panchayat department have revealed that with several permutations and combinations still being calculated, the delimitation process is only inching forward and that the file is still with the government for approval.
On Monday, two separate groups of persons one from Davorlim-Dicarpale panchayat sought to meet the panchayat department authorities alleging that a ward in which there are barely a handful of reserved category voters was to be declared reserved and separately the villagers of Pilgao in Bicholim threatened to boycott the panchayat polls if a delimitation which divides even family members into separate wards is not rectified.
This follows after the Calangute panchayat approached the High Court seeking a stay on the election process, alleging irregularities in the delimitation process, which was denied.
The Bombay High Court at Goa has directed the State government to hold the panchayat election on or before June 12 -- four weeks from now.
The State Election Commission which conducts the elections will begin its process including enforcing of the model code of conduct only once the delimitation process is complete.
Over the last several weeks, the Directorate of Panchayats, which is tasked with conducting the delimitation
process has been promising that the delimitation process is ‘complete’ and that the notification would be issued in a few days.
While the official notification is awaited, the report sent by the taluka level officers including the BDOs who offer an on the ground report of delimitation, has in some cases, been released to the panchayats adding to the confusion.
Pilgao locals irked over delimitation exercise
BICHOLIM: An irate mob of locals from Pilgao-Bicholim along with some panch members confronted the panchayat secretary of Pilgao panchayat, to protest against the delimitation exercise ahead of the forthcoming panchayat elections and have threatened to boycott the panchayat polls.
Residents alleged that the Pilgao Panchayat Secretary Sameer Parrikar had undertaken the delimitation exercise in two wards of Pilgao village, causing 24 voters from Ward 2 to be shifted to Ward 3 and 24 voters of Ward 3 to be moved to Ward 2. They claimed that this was done without the knowledge of anybody.
The agitated residents have demanded a rollback of the delimitation exercise to its original state as it existed in 2012, else they have threatened to boycott panchayat elections.
“We don’t know why the panchayat secretary undertook this exercise,” complained a panch Anil Naik.
Sarpanch Babaji Gaonkar said the Pilgao panchayat consists of only five wards and hence, there was no need for the delimitation exercise.
Later, the panch members contacted BDO Shrikant Pednekar and he has assured to look into the matter.
In his defence, Sameer Parrikar said he had only followed instructions of the Booth Level Officer (BLO).
