VASCO, OCT
Aggrieved at the controversial reservation of wards ahead of the municipal council polls, the All Goa Councillors Forum plans to approach the court to seek a stay on the elections.
“Complaints have been pouring before the forum as most aspiring candidates, including those from the Cuncolim Municipal Council, the home town of Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao, have complained of faulty procedures to reserve wards,” All Goa Councillors Forum President Carlos Almeida told Herald.
“The Forum along with individual aspirants, who have been eliminated by the reservation of wards, are exploring possibilities of approaching the court to bring a stay on election,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Muslim community has also expressed outrage over the reservation of wards, claiming that efforts have been made to deny Muslim candidates the chance of contesting the polls.
“Wherever aspiring Muslim candidates had desired to contest, those wards have been reserved and this is gross injustice against the minority community,” complained Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Minority Department Chairman Saifullah Khan.
“We are not against reservation of wards for OBC and ST, but it should have done as per the concentration of population of a particularly community in a particular area. Why were wards which have a high concentration of OBC population not reserved for that community,” asked Khan.
