MARGAO
The South Goa District Court has allowed the revision application filed by the four members of the Rumdamol Village Panchayat challenging the order of the Salcete Block Development Officer disqualifying them from participating in any executive work of the Panchayat body.
The order was passed on Friday as the court capped the revision proceedings as per the directions of the High Court to dispose of the appeal petition by August 22.
Salcete BDO-II Adarsh J. Desai had on July 28 passed an order disqualifying the four members from participation in any executive work of the Panchayat with immediate effect upon a complaint filed by a resident of Khandepar-Usgao-Ponda, Mukesh Naik.
However, Additional District Judge Pooja Kavlekar had stayed the BDO order on August 2, allowing the four Panchayat members to participate in the election of the vacant post of Sarpanch scheduled on August 4. The election, however, was postponed after the presiding officers appointed by the Salcete BDO proceeded on leave on health grounds. BDO Adarsh Desai could not hold the election in the absence of the presiding officers after the time set for the filing of nomination papers had lapsed.
In the meantime, complainant Mukesh Naik knocked on the doors of the High Court which later restrained the four Panchayat members from exercising their voting rights. While saying that it would be desirable if the Director of Panchayats kept the election of Rumdamol Sarpanch in abeyance till the District Court disposes of the petition challenging the Salcete BDO order on disqualification, the High Court had set a timeline for the South District Court to dispose of the appeal filed by the four Panchayat members by August 22.
