MAPUSA
In a surprising and last minute order, the Administrator of Comunidade, North Zone stayed an extra-ordinary general body meeting of the Saligao comunidade which was scheduled on Sunday giving much relief to the attorney who was facing the axe for alleged illegal activities.
The Saligao comunidade in a public notice had called for an extra-ordinary general body meeting (EOGBM) of the comunidade of Saligao on July 23 (Sunday) to deliberate the dismissal of attorney Ashley Delaney e D’Souza and elect another in his place.
The meeting was called under Article 26 (5) and Article 77 of the Code of Comunidades.
But the Saligao comunidade received the Administrator’s order staying the meeting just a day before the general body.
“I am of the view that the Attorney Ashley Delaney has established a prima facie case in his favour and therefore the extra-ordinary meeting is stayed until further order,” said Shivprasad Naik, Administrator of Comunidade, North in his brief order.
President of Saligao Comunidade, Desmond Da Costa said he received the administrator’s order at around 11 am on Saturday making it difficult to convey the message to all the gaunkars about the cancellation of the meeting.
“Besides, the order was passed ex-parte. We were not given an opportunity to place the facts before the administrator,” Da Costa said.
The President informed that seven gaunkars had filed a petition raising grave concerns of the attorney’s conduct and performance in the comunidade.
The attorney had allegedly constructed an illegal structure on comunidade land without following due processes.
The previous managing committee had allegedly allotted the land to the attorney illegally without going through the general body or informing the administrator.
“The gaunkars in their petition said that the attorney’s presence was untenable because he has indulged in an illegal activity on comunidade land for which he had no construction licence from the local panchayat,” Da Costa said.
“The attorney’s presence was creating a conflict of interest in the functioning of the comunidade affairs in the village,” he added.
