MARGAO
In a major development, election for the vacant post of Colva Sarpanch scheduled for June 4 stands postponed.
The vacant post which was mysteriously not filled up for over two months and a half, in violation of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, has been postponed on the eve of the election.
Director of Panchayats Siddhi Halarnakar who was found wanting in filing up the vacancy during the two-month mandatory time-fame, has postponed the election by an order issued on Thursday.
Reason: The panchayat director took the sudden decision based on a representation from four panchayat members complaining that relatives of some of the village panchayat members had tested positive for Covid-19 amidst some deaths. They were of the opinion that it was not advisable to hold a meeting in view of the ongoing Covid pandemic.
The post of Colva Sarpanch had fallen vacant on March 18 after outgoing Sarpanch Anthony Fernandes quit office on March 8. While the Goa Panchayat Raj Act envisages filling up the vacant post within 60 days, the panchayat director had defaulted in holding the election on May 18, but had fixed the election for the vacant post on June 4, which now stands postponed following a representation made by the four panchayat members.
Meanwhile, the five ruling Colva Panchayat members led by outgoing Sarpanch Anthony Fernandes has claimed that all the members had undergone test for Covid on Thursday and the result was negative.
Armed with Covid negative reports, the ruling group has decided to petition the panchayat director on Friday to immediately call for a panchayat meeting to fill up the vacant post at the earliest.
Anthony informed the media that all the five ruling members underwent the Covid test on Thursday morning and the reports are negative. “We will attach the negative certificates in our petition which will be made to the panchayat director to immediately call the meeting to fill up the vacancy without wasting any more time”, he said.
The outgoing Sarpanch made it clear that the five-member ruling group is all united and any delay will not make any difference to the group. “As per the Panchayati Raj Act, the panchayat director is mandated to fill up the vacant post of Sarpanch within 60 days. In the case of Colva panchayat, however, the two-month period expired on May 18. It’s now over two months and a half since the post fell vacant, but yet to be filled up”, he said.
The ruling group pointed out that if the panchayat director or any other person had any doubt over any member being infected with Covid, the members can even come for voting in PPE kits. “We are consulting our lawyer on the matter and will seek urgent holding of the meeting”, Anthony said, while asserting that the ruling group is all united.
