MARGAO
Strange as it may seem, it is a fact that democratically elected panchayat members in Rumdamol village remain unable to elect a Sarpanch of their choice. For, it is now nearly three and a half months that the Panchayat has been under the control of a government-appointed administrator, as the post of Sarpanch remains vacant since May 29 for want of election.
In fact, the elected representatives, more so the majority group comprising five members in the nine-member Rumdamol Panchayat, have been anxiously waiting for the Director of Panchayats to convene a meeting to elect a new Sarpanch.
Consider this. Then Panchayat Director Siddi Harlankar took almost two months to call for a Panchayat meeting on July 29 to decide on the new Sarpanch on August 4 in the midst of the row over the disqualification of four panchayat members. The saga continued after the South Goa District Court set aside their disqualification and remanded the matter back to the Block Development Officer (BDO) for a fresh hearing.
Currently, Salcete Block Development Officer-II, Adarsh Desai, is re-examining the complaint regarding the disqualification of the four members, as directed by the court. While the District Court set aside the previous disqualification order, the Panchayat Director has yet to take any steps to initiate the election for the vacant post.
This legal limbo has sparked intense debate in Rumdamol’s political circles. A key question being raised is whether the Panchayat Director must wait for the BDO’s final decision on the disqualification matter before proceeding with the election ” especially when no specific timeline has been set for concluding the hearing.
The prolonged delay has not only left the village without elected leadership but also raised concerns over democratic functioning and administrative accountability at the grassroots level.
Fresh hearing, but no end in sight
Although the South Goa Additional District Judge, Pooja Kavlekar, remanded the disqualification matter back to Salcete BDO Adarsh Desai for a fresh hearing, there is still no clarity on when the proceedings will conclude.
The parties involved, including the four Panchayat members whose disqualification was set aside, appeared before the BDO on September 1, as per the Court’s directions. However, they returned disappointed after being informed that the BDO was out of station for training. The office, in turn, scheduled the next hearing for September 4.
When the parties once again appeared before the BDO on September 4, the matter was adjourned to September 25 ” a decision that has raised eyebrows. The long intervals between hearing dates have caused concern among the four Panchayat members, as the delay effectively stalls the election for the long-vacant post of Sarpanch.
Amid this uncertainty, critical questions are being raised: Will the Panchayat Director wait for the BDO to conclude the proceedings before convening a meeting to elect the Sarpanch? This issue gains urgency given that the majority of elected Panchayat members remain unable to choose a Sarpanch of their preference ” and there is still no indication of when the Director of Panchayats intends to call for the long-overdue election.
Appointment of Administrator
On May 29, Sarpanch Mubina Faniband decided to resign from office as per an understanding amongst the members of the five-member majority group. Deputy Sarpanch Mustafa Dodomani also quit office a few days later, prompting the Panchayat authorities to appoint an Administrator to manage the affairs of the Panchayat pending the election of a new Sarpanch.
Disqualification of four members
Even as the majority group was anxiously looking forward to the Panchayat Director holding the election for the vacant post of Sarpanch within 60 days as per the law in force, four Panchayat members ” Mubina Faniband, Samuilla Faniband, Mustafa Dodomani and Zubeda Agasar ” were disqualified by Salcete BDO Adarsh Desai, barring them from participation in any executive work of the Panchayat body.
The four were disqualified by the BDO while disposing of a complaint lodged by Mukesh Naik, a resident of Usgao-Ponda, alleging that the four members had participated in the discussion when his complaint against the family members of these members had come up for discussion at the Panchayat meeting.
In a new twist to the row, the Panchayat Director on July 29 convened a meeting of the Panchayat on August 4 to elect a new Sarpanch when four members of the majority group were disqualified by the BDO. However, the South Goa District Court stayed the BDO order of disqualification, paving the way for the four disqualified members to participate in the election.
August 4 election scuttled
Incidentally, while all eyes were focused on the election of the new Rumdamol Sarpanch on August 4, the Presiding Officer designated by the BDO complained of chest pain and admitted himself to the South District Hospital. The reserve Presiding Officer played truant on the plea that he was suffering from loose motion.
BDO Adarsh Desai himself arrived late at the Rumdamol Panchayat ghar after the time frame for filing nomination papers had lapsed, scuttling the election.
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Delay in polls a ‘mockery of democracy’, say panchas
MARGAO: A meeting of the Rumdamol Panchayat chaired by the Administrator Pradeep Tamankar saw the members of the five-member majority group in the Panchayat demanding an immediate election for the vacant post of Sarpanch and Deputy Sarpanch.
When the Administrator called the meeting, the five-member majority group adopted a resolution calling for an immediate election to fill the vacant post of Sarpanch. Terming the delay in holding elections for the posts of Sarpanch and Deputy as a mockery of democracy, the majority members told the Administrator to send the resolution to the government for immediate action.
Samuilla Faniband told 'The Goan' that by delaying the election for the post of Sarpanch for the last four months, the government is out to murder democracy. “On one hand, the BDO has not set any timeline to conclude the proceedings. On the other hand, there is no sign of the Panchayat Director convening a meeting of the Panchayat to hold the election. This shows that deliberate attempts are being made to scuttle the democratic process to suit the interests of vested elements,” he charged.
