TEAM HERALD
CORTALIM: A major controversy has broken out over selection process for a clerk in the Cortalim-Quelossim Panchayat, the interview for which is fixed for Wednesday.
Speaking to Herald, Panch Raymond De Sa said the process for the selection of the clerk has been vitiated with the sarpanch being one of the members in the selection panel. The others members of the panel are the Chief Accounts Officer of Zilla Panchayat, South and the Mormugao BDO.
“With many applicants being from the village, it could be quite possible that he (sarpanch) could use his influence in favour of a particular candidate, thereby denying the meritorious candidate from getting the job,” argued De Sa.
Echoing a similar sentiment, three others Panchas Anita Kenkre, Elvira Fernandes and Consua Panch Antonette Fernandes also expressed the view that the sarpanch should not be a member of the panel and all the three selection members should be neutral and not from the villages of Cortalim and Quelossim.
According to sources, a blood relation of Sarpanch Illario Figuieredo is one of the 32 applicants for the post.
When contacted, Figuieredo admitted that he is part of the selection panel, which includes two other members, the BDO and the ZP Chief Accounts Officer, and also conceded that a relative is an applicant to the post.
“The majority will decide of the candidate and I could always be overruled by the two other members. Any one can apply to the post, including my relative. How can they assume that my relative will be appointed? If my relative is appointed to the post, people can then make allegations of favouritism,” said Figueiredo.
