MAPUSA
Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson Sandip Falari remained unfazed, over the election code of conduct being in force in the State, and decided to go ahead and hold the special meeting on budget of the council called by him on Monday.
The chairperson said he had sent the copy of the meeting notice to the Chief Electoral Office on Friday last week but did not receive any response.
“Someone has to send me some instructions in black and white. No one has done that till today. Even if by 11 am on Monday (the scheduled time for meeting) I receive a communication from the authority not to hold the meeting, I will adjourn it,” Falari said.
Quoting Section 97 of the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968, the chairperson said the budget has to be prepared by December 31 and has to be further approved by the Standing Committee by January 31 which has been done.
“The last stage of the process is to get the council approval for the budget by February 28 and that is why this meeting is called,” he said.
It may be recalled that last week, an ordinary council meeting called by the Mayor of the Corporation of the City of Panaji, Surendra Furtado was cancelled last minute due to the election code of conduct.
CCP Commissioner, Deepak Desai had objected to holding of the meeting due to the election code of conduct.
MMC Chief Officer Gurudas Dessai has said he will not attend the council meeting on Monday.
“I have some other crucial election related meeting. So I won’t attend the council meeting,” Dessai said.
On whether the council has the sanctity to hold the meeting since the election code was on, he said the Director of Municipal Administration may have sought permission from the CEO to allow the meeting.
“The CEO may give its approval. Let us see what happens tomorrow,” Dessai said.
The MMC, chairperson said he was not bothered what happened in CCP or any other municipality, as he would strictly go by the Municipality Act.
“The municipality act is very clear that the chief officer has no authority to cancel, adjourn or postpone the meeting. Even if the CO wants to speak at the meeting, he has to take the permission of the chairperson,” Falari said.
