Elections supersede Carnival – Jt CEO Narayan S Navti. No Carnival without EC permission.

TEAM HERALD

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PANJIM: The government may not be allowed to celebrate Carnival this year, Joint Chief Electoral Officer Narayan S Navti told reporters Saturday, pouring cold water on people’s enthusiasm to celebrate carnival.

Navti said the Election Commission of India is yet to give permission to organise Carnival and that the question of forming committees for the same does not arise.

Replying to a question during a press conference, about the complaints received by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, regarding the constitution of the Carnival committees, Navti also said that giving chief officers, who were involved in other election duties, the post of chairman of these committees would not be considered by the Election Commission.

“The commission has not given any permission for holding of Carnival celebrations. So the question of forming committees or the legality of these committees does not arise. The government may not be allowed to finance Carnival this year,” Navti said.

He added that the government’s recommendation that the chief officers(COs) of municipal councils be made chairmen of these committees was not feasible.

“The government has asked that chief officers be made chairpersons of these committees. Four out of the five COs are involved in election duty. The COs of Vasco and Margao are Electoral Registration Officers, COs of Ponda and Mapusa are returning officers. They come under the Election commission and cannot participate in the event unless they have permission from us. That consent has not been given. They will not be allowed to shoulder the responsibility of being chairmen of these committees,” Navti asserted.

Navti further said that in a letter sent from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer to the Election Commission of India, seeking clarification on the celebration of Carnival, they have said that Carnival should be allowed only if “these committees are officers of the state and that there is no scope for people to say there is political involvement.”

Navti however said that Carnival parades with funding from other institutions may be allowed with permission from the election office but added, “If it is found that any of the candidates have sponsored money for this Carnival, the money will be added to their overall expenditure.”

The EC is yet to clarify on the holding of Carnival.