MARGAO: The demand for removing the officials in charge of the municipal election process and even the resignation of the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has come from several quarters after the High Court halted the poll process in five civic bodies.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar said “The order of the Hon’ble High Court quashing the notification on reservations of wards in municipal elections has proved that the BJP government headed by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant is defective. The order of the High Court will definitely restore the faith of people in judiciary and this order.”
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The Congress leader demanded that Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Urban Development Minister Milind Naik should immediately resign for manipulating reservation of wards in violation of constitutional provisions.
Opposition Leader Digambar Kamat said, “The order of the Hon’ble High Court striking down notification dated February 4, 2021 issued by Director of Municipal Administration is beginning of end of BJP “Jumla Raj” in Goa.”
“The hidden agenda of the BJP government not to give proper representation to SCs, STs, and OBCs and depriving women and Bahujan Samaj of emerging as leaders stands completely exposed”, he charged.
“Today, the BJP functionaries are least bothered about upholding the principles of democracy. I appeal to the people of Goa to teach the insensitive BJP government a lesson in the forthcoming municipal elections,” Kamat urged.
President of Shadow Council Margao and former chairperson of MMC Savio Coutinho said that every government in power manipulates the reservation process and defeats the purpose of the reservation to uplift the reserved categories.
“The reservations are used to knock out the real candidate’s leaders who are worth,” alleged Savio. He said that SCM won’t be affected by the HC order and would further announce its candidates after the new reservation is announced.
Jose Marie Miranda from Margao said it is pity to see the State Election Commission falling prey to the machinations.
“The HC decision is a slap on the face of our rulers, who feel they can get away with impunity with the prescribed norms and rules. Strange that they do not realise their brazen arrogance and authoritarianism which find challenges in courts is a waste of their precious time,” he said.
Former State Election Commissioner of Goa Prabhakar Timble said, “The order of the High Court is on expected lines. On noticing that reservations were not in order, the HC provided an opportunity to the State Election Commissioner to act within its inherent power. As SEC pleaded inability, there was no alternative except to intervene and direct for fresh notification and accordingly rescheduling elections to municipal councils.”
Timble said, “This judgment exposes the political interference of the BJP government in reservation. It also exposes that not only the DMA but also a statutory and autonomous body like the SEC was a pawn in the hands of the ruling party.”
“If the same SEC continues, people and stakeholders will not repose confidence in the election process. This SEC should not continue in office in the interests of free, fair and just elections to local self-governing bodies,” Timble warned.
Adv Cleofato Coutinho said the people ought to have revolted and not waited for the court to intervene.
Adv Cleofato said, “Normally courts do not interfere once the election process starts. This is a case where the High Court found gross abuse in reserving wards. The manipulation of the election process, it appears had crossed the tipping point and to maintain the sanctity and purity of the election process, the High Court has taken a path not travelled.”
He said, “It is a disgrace that the government attempted to manipulate the election in such a brazen manner. All governments have been doing what the present government has done but this government went overboard and did not even maintain a facade of reasonability. High Court has sent a strong signal that nonsense shall not be tolerated. The minimum the government must do is changing the officers responsible though they must have acted under pressure”.
“It is proved that at least in Curchorem I never interfered in the reservation of wards. At other places I don’t know and whatever the administration did in Curchorem is rightly done as per act and the allegation made against me by certain people are proved false,” said Power Minister Nilesh Cabral.
