The Tiswadi Block Development Officer (BDO) has disqualified Corlim Sarpanch Gorakhnath Kerkar and his wife, Deputy Sarpanch Supriya Kerkar, as panchayat members for conflict of interest, misuse of official position, and participating in decisions where they had a pecuniary interest.
The action follows a petition filed by Purso Dhulapkar and Honu Dhulapkar, residents of Dhulapi, Corlim, under Section 12(1)(d) read with Section 55(4) of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994.
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The petitioners alleged that the Kerkar couple had filed individual applications for Enabling House Numbers (EHN) and No Objection Certificates (NOC) for two structures, including a commercial property belonging to Gorakhnath Kerkar. The panchayat had approved the applications during a fortnightly meeting on December 29, 2023.
The respondents admitted submitting the applications but maintained that the structures were intended for public use: one as a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) as directed by the Bombay High Court at Goa, and the other as temporary accommodation for panchayat labourers. They argued that the land was offered free of cost, claiming any benefit was non-pecuniary and incidental. The couple also filed for cancellation of the EHNs on December 16, 2024.
BDO Anil L Dhumaskar ruled that the active involvement of the Kerkars in the approval process, as confirmed by official minutes and ratification, constituted a personal conflict of interest. He noted that their attempts to falsify official records violated provisions of Section 55(4) of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, distinguishing the matter from routine panchayat business and triggering their disqualification.
