Gram sevak in secretary'S post problematic: HC
PANAJI
The Goa Advocate General told the Bombay High Court at Goa that they would arrive at “some solution” to address the issue of shortage of panchayat secretaries.
Hearing a petition which challenged the lack of a full time secretary in the village panchayat of Sancoale, in which the gram sevak was given charge of the post of panchayat secretary, the High Court noted that “prima facie” continuance of the gram sevak in the post of the secretary would be problematic.
“The record shows that on March 13, the Secretary of the Panchayat was transferred. The charge of this position was given to the fourth respondent who is, admittedly, only a gram sevak as defined under section 2 (11-A) of the Panchayat Raj Act. Considering the provisions of the Panchayat Raj Act and the recruitment rules including, in particular, the provisions of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, which require that every panchayat have a whole time secretary, we think prima facie, continuance of the fourth respondent to be problematic,” the High Court bench of Justices MS Sonak and Valmiki Menezes said.
The AG submitted that the government would look into the issue and take some decision by the next date.
“There is a shortage of about 16 posts of Secretary… the position that prevails in the village panchayat of Sancoale, possibly prevails in more than 23 other panchayats as well,” the Advocate General told the Court adding that “some solution would be found out and some decisions would be taken in this matter.”
The AG pointed out that the strength of the cadre of the Panchayat Secretary is about 226 and about 210 posts are filled.
