MAPUSA
The State government has dismissed a panchayat member of Reis Magos village panchayat based on the findings of the retired Goa Lokayukta.
The decision, however, will not be implemented for a period of three weeks as the aggrieved panchayat member approached the High Court and got temporary relief.
The Chief Secretary who is the competent authority in an order accepted the recommendation of the former Lokayukta Justice P K Misra who had ordered the then sarpanch to vacate his office.
“In view of the findings in report of the Goa Lokayukta and acceptance given by the Competent Authority to the said report, Shri Virendra Shirodkar stand removed from the post held by him in the village panchayat of Reis Magos,” said an order issued by Sanjay Gihar (IAS), Secretary of Panchayats on December 21.
A resident of Reis Magos, Advino Fernandes and two others had filed a complaint before the Goa Lokayukta against the then sarpanch of Reis Magos.
Fernandes in his complaint had alleged that the then sarpanch was involved in illegal allocation of house numbers to certain disputed structures.
Adjudicating on the complaint, the now retired Goa Lokayukta in his order had noted that the then sarpanch and other office bearers had entered into a conspiracy for illegal gratification and abused their position to illegally allot house numbers to certain structures.
Interestingly, Shirodkar was not the sarpanch when the actual allotment of the house numbers took place which was also admitted by the Lokayukta in his order.
But Justice Misra had also observed that Shirodkar failed to act on the complaint filed against allotment of illegal house numbers to remedy the situation.
The aggrieved panchayat member has got a temporary relief when the High Court on his Writ Petition directed that in case of an adverse order by the Competent Authority the same shall not be implemented for a period of three weeks.
The panchayat member has also challenged the report of the Lokayukta in the High Court.
Interestingly, the Lokayukta had also sought criminal proceedings against former sarpanch Prasanna Nagvekar and former secretary of the Reis Magos panchayat Subodh Prabhu for misuse of power in the same case.
Justice Misra had also ordered suspension and sought disciplinary proceedings against then deputy director of panchayat Pundalik Khorjuvenkar in the case.
