PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa has granted the State government four weeks to either amalgamate or re-designate the post of Gram Sevak into a single cadre, as several village panchayats have been facing a shortage of secretaries.
During the hearing of a petition on Tuesday, Advocate General Devidas Pangam informed the Bench that the government had initiated the process to address the issue by merging or re-designating the Gram Sevak post. He assured that it would help resolve administrative challenges in panchayats.
The AG further filed an affidavit detailing the government’s stance on the matter. Taking note of the affidavit, the High Court directed the government to take necessary steps within four weeks while adjourning the plea for review after this period.
Earlier during the hearing, Pangam revealed that 20 secretary posts are vacant and that there are highly qualified persons in the Gram Sevak cadre. “The government has already begun the process of re-designation or amalgamation to resolve these challenges,” he stated.
In June 2024, the High Court directed the government to clarify within a week the steps being taken to fill these vacancies.
Advocate Abhijit Gosavi, representing petitioner Narayan Datta Naik, argued that Gram Sevaks had been appointed illegally in place of full-time secretaries while pointing at 26 panchayats where Gram Sevaks were performing the duties of secretaries. In Sancoale, the Gram Sevak had been exercising the powers of the panchayat secretary “ a post vacant since March 2023 “ which he contended violated the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994.
Deputy Solicitor General of India Pravin Faldessai had then stated that the recruitment of secretaries needs to be conducted through the Staff Selection Committee.
