MARGAO
The Covid surge has taken away the sheen and celebrations from the successful candidates and their political godfathers in the Municipal elections when the results are out on Monday.
For, the winning candidates have been barred from taking out victory processions in their wards. That’s not all. Candidates contesting on the panels fielded by the political parties groups will not enjoy the luxury of posing for common photographs as strict instructions have been issued to the candidates and their polling agents to leave the counting venues after the results.
For, the South Goa district Collector Ruchika Katyal, IAS has stepped in to impose restrictions in and around the counting hall and outside on Monday as the stage is set for the counting of votes of the elections to the Municipal bodies of Margao, Mormugao, Quepem and Sanguem in the district.
The district Collector had a meeting with senior district administration officials and police with the contesting candidates in view of the counting scheduled on Monday of these four municipal bodies.
The Returning Officers, besides the district police Chief, SP Shobit Saxena, DySPs, Harish Madkaikar, Raju Raut Desai, Nelson Albuquerque all attended a meeting in the district Collectorate on Sunday to review the counting arrangements in view of the emerging Covid situation in the district.
The Collector reminded that there’s a ban on the gathering of five or more persons in force in South Goa under Section 144 of the Cr P C in view of the surge in COVID cases in the State.
In view of the directions in force, the Collector instructed that no victory processions or rallies by the winning candidates or by the political parties will be allowed on the day of counting.
The Returning Officers were advised that if feasible, they should hold counting ward-wise in a staggered manner and should inform all the political parties and candidates the timings by when they should report at the counting centers along with their agents.
It was also informed to the political parties that their candidates and their supporters shall immediately leave the counting place after their counting is over and results are declared.
The Collector requested all the political parties to appoint a senior leader of the party as a Nodal Officer to co-ordinate with the RO and the police to ensure that the candidates/ counting agents/ their supporters to ensure that there is no crowding at the place of counting.
All the ROs were directed by the Collector to maintain the Covid SoP in the counting hall and outside the counting venue and to make available adequate hand sanitizers and thermal scanning.
The police were also directed to ensure that there is no overcrowding outside the counting venues and also to ensure that no candidates or their supporters take any victory procession.
The Collector also directed the ROs to appoint adequate executive magistrates inside and outside the counting hall who shall ensure that the candidates/ counting agents/ their supporters immediately leave the hall and counting venue after completion of their wards and once their results are declared.
