MARGAO
Guess the pendency of quasi-judicial cases before the South Goa Additional Director of Panchayats.
Well, according to Panchayat officials, the number of pending cases is pegged at around 1,500. And, the cases are still counting given that the office of the Additional Panchayat Director, South Goa receives around 30 cases every month on average. This has thrown up a moot question “ how much time will it take for the Additional Panchayat Director to clear the backlog of cases and to dispose of the fresh cases?
Pose the question to Additional Panchayat Director, South Florina Colaco, who took over the reins of office a little over a month ago. Colaco says her office will try and dispose of as many cases as possible in the shortest possible time, while at the same time pointing out that these are quasi-judicial proceedings. “Yes, the number of pending cases before the Additional Panchayat Director is put around 1500. I have assumed office only recently. I will follow the due process of law to dispose of the cases,” she said.
The huge pendency of cases came to light after social activists questioned the delay in the disposal of the cases pertaining to grass-root panchayat raj institution.
Sources, however, pointed out that given that the new Additional Panchayat Director has assumed office only recently, the incumbent may have to re-hear the cases, before passing orders to dispose of the cases.
Questions are being raised in Panchayat circles over the pile-up of cases before the Additional panchayat Director when people come knocking on the doors for relief against the orders of demolition issued by the Panchayat bodies.
The majority of the cases pending before the Additional Panchayat Director pertain to appeals filed against demolition orders passed by the panchayat bodies. Then there are cases relating to resolutions adopted by the panchayats which are challenged before the Additional Panchayat director. Petitions for the disqualification of the village sarpanch also lie with the Additional panchayat Director.
Activist Avinash Tavares pointed out that there is a case before the Additional Panchayat Director related to an illegal structure in a Salcete village filed in the year 2018. “In this case, the respondent has expired, yet neither the case is dismissed nor the cause list is updated. This is a case wherein a structure has encroached on the road,” he said.
