CURCHOREM: Three nominations were filed for the election to the Curchorem-Cacora Municipal Council (CCMC) chairperson’s post which is scheduled on April 29.
According to Chief Officer Ajay Gaude, his office has received three nominations for the chairperson post from three councillors namely Vishwas Pandu Sawant, Pramod Damu Naik and Mangaldas Arjun Ghadi.
“My office has received three nominations papers for the chairperson’s post for which the election will be held on April 29 at 2.30 pm in the municipal hall and the Director of Settlement and Land Records Johnson Fernandes will be the presiding officer and conduct the election,” informed Gaude.
It is learnt that Naik is likely to withdraw his nomination as he had filed his nomination papers last Friday and soon on Monday sought to withdraw it. But the chief officer refused to accept his withdrawal request stating that he is not authorised to accept the proposal to withdraw the nomination once it is filed under the provision of Goa Municipalities (Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson Elections) Rules, 1969 which states: “Any candidate may withdraw his candidature by notice in writing subscribed by him and delivered to the Presiding Authority, within 15 minutes from the time of reading out the names of duly nominated councillors under the last preceding rule.”
It may be recalled that on April 1 after the election of new Curchorem-Cacora Municipal Council councillors, Rucha Subhash Vasta was elected unopposed for the post of vice chairperson and former Chairperson Balkrishna (Pinty) Uttam Sinai Hodarkar was elected as chairperson by 8-7 votes against his opponent councillor and Curchorem BJP Mandal president Vishwas Pandu Sawant. On the same day, in an unprecedented move within few hours, eight councillors signed and moved a no-confidence motion against Hodarkar and Vasta resigned as vice-chairperson. Both the posts fell vacant as Hodarkar lost his post in a no-confidence motion passed against him by 9-6 votes.
Meanwhile, Rucha, who had resigned earlier, has been re-elected as vice-chairperson at the meeting held on April 23.
