MARGAO
Xavier Fernandes has won the bypoll for ward No VI of Carmona village panchayat.
He was declared elected by Returning Officer Joao Fernandes on Monday after he won the seat by a margin of 31 votes. In a three-cornered contest, Xavier polled 100 votes, while his immediate rival Nesbit D’Costa finished second with 69 votes. Jack Sorter Luis Fernandes polled 34 votes.
Bypoll for the Ward No VI was necessitated following the death of panch member Joshinho Mendes.
Soon after the bypoll result was out on Monday morning, local political observers are trying to figure out whether the election of Xavier will help break the deadlock over the election of the Carmona village Sarpanch. For, it’s over a month and half now since the post of Carmona sarpanch had been lying vacant after then sarpanch Savita Mascarenhas quit office on personal grounds.
The last time, the Director of Panchayats had fixed the date for the election of a new sarpanch, only one panchayat member Sandra Fernandes had turned up for the meeting, while deputy sarpanch Vailona Fernandes, outgoing sarpanch Savita Mascarenhas and former sarpanch Winston Dias were conspicuous by their absence, leaving the panchayat officials with no option than to cancel the election.
Since then the DoP has not called for a meeting to elect a new sarpanch and the affairs of the Carmona panchayat are presided over by a deputy sarpanch Vialona Fernandes.
Incidentally, while the DoP has filled the vacancy created in Ward No VI due to the death of panch member Josinho Mendes, the Panchayat Director will have to soon fill up the second vacancy arising out of the resignation of panchayat member Benicio Carvalho.
