PANAJI
Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on Thursday slammed the State Election Commission (SEC), accusing the body of trying to hurriedly manipulate delimitation processes for the upcoming panchayat polls.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Kamat also feared a repeat of the delimitation process fiasco which occurred ahead of the last municipal polls, which had led to severe strictures against the government as well as the office of the SEC for haphazard application of norms for delimitation of wards.
"We have a strong objection to the manner in which the delimitation process is being carried out and how they are completing it... We feel that there is no reason to expedite the process when the new government is going to take over by March 11 or 12," Kamat said, adding that Congress leaders would be meeting the SEC to state their grievances.
"The manner in which they are going about, there are objections from every panchayat," the former chief minister also said.
Panchayat polls are scheduled to be held in June this year, Kamat said, adding there was no need for the hurry with which the Commission was pushing through the delimitation process.
"They are only changing ward numbers and making mistakes as they did earlier. In the last municipal polls, some ward numbers were changed, some were reserved erroneously and we had to go to the High Court. The High Court issued strictures, but they went to the Supreme Court which also gave an order against the government," Kamat said.
"My request to the SEC is do not make the same mistake. Last time, due to the Supreme Court order, the SEC had to be replaced. We urge the SEC to stall the process and increase the time limit and provide clarity about the process," the former CM said.
