MARGAO
Uproar marked the gram sabha of Benaulim village panchayat as members forced the chair to adjourn the meeting after realization dawned that the minutes of the meeting held two years ago has not been signed by the then panchayat secretary.
Questioning the legality of holding the gram sabha sans the signature on the minutes of the previous gram sabha at the time of confirmation of minutes the meeting was finally adjourned to October 10.
The gram sabha chaired by Sarpanch Vencila Fernandes began on a stormy note after members questioned how the minutes of the meeting held on August 18, 2019 does not have the signature of the then panchayat secretary. The members comprising Royla Fernandes, Santan Pereira, Rudolf Barretto and others also questioned why the minutes of the previous meeting were not handwritten on the minutes book, saying the panchayat is required to write the proceedings on the minutes book and sign the same.
Santan Pereira demanded that the gram sabha pass a resolution demanding action against the previous sarpanch for not signing the minutes. The members also pulled up the panchayat administration, pointing out how the minutes have been brought before the gram sabha without getting it signed by the previous panchayat secretary.
Benaulim Zilla Panchayat member Hanzil Fernandes questioned the chair whether the panchayat body did not check the minutes book before getting the unsigned minutes before the gram sabha.
After much discussion, which also resulted in heated exchanges and commotion amongst the members, the gram sabha later adjourned the meeting to October 10.
Royla later told the media that the members demanded adjournment of the meeting the proceedings since the minutes of the previous meeting cannot be confirmed for want of signature by the previous secretary.
Deputy Sarpanch Nilesh Prabhudesai informed that the previous meeting was held two years ago on August 18, 2019 and the minutes could not be confirmed due to the intervening Covid pandemic. “The Panchayat staff tried to compile the minutes by listening to the recorded proceedings. However, it could not be signed by the previous secretary”, he said, adding that the panchayat would try to get the previous secretary sign the minutes before the adjourned gram sabha is held on October 10.
