PANJIM: In a bid to ensure that its decisions are not overridden and to have complete control over the functioning of municipalities, the BJP-led government is likely to keep the state administrative tribunal out of hearing cases dealing with the municipalities.
The state government is expected to introduce an amendment to the Municipalities Act during the coming monsoon session, appointing an affiliate authority of the rank of additional director in the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) to hear appeals of the aggrieved people. Until now the administrative tribunal heard appeals or petitions challenging government/ DMA decisions.
The municipal polls are scheduled for October 25.
Highly placed sources confirmed that the government is planning to do away with the administrative tribunal in municipalities. “Administrative tribunal was established as the High Court was heavily burdened with pendency of cases and it would be provided with relief if grievances of government employees were sorted out at the tribunal level. But we have realized that the tribunal itself gets over burdened,” sources said.
As per the Municipalities Act, any person against whom action has been initiated by DMA in cases like disqualification of councillor or ward member or compensation, is authorized to file a petition against the decision before the tribunal and the tribunal’s verdict was considered final.
While the government intends to present its move in a positive manner, the amendment is likely to give more powers to the government, especially in cases of disqualification of councilors. Eleven municipalities will be going to the polls on October 25.
The delimitation process of wards is currently in process.
