Court decides to hold Panchayat polls on Aug 10

Team Herald

PANJIM: A total 186 village panchayats, covering 1,600 wards, will go for polls on August 10.

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The counting of votes is likely to take place on August 12, which is also the concluding day of the monsoon session of the State Legislative Assembly.

Hours after the Bombay High Court at Goa declined to grant extension till September 12 to hold the polls, the Directorate of Panchayat issued notification announcing the poll dates.

The five-year term of the elected members in 186 panchayats ended on June 18. The State government-appointed Administrators are currently looking into the day-to-day affairs of the local self governing bodies, pending general elections.

Sources said that the State Election Commission (SEC) will declare the poll schedule by next week.

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The moment SEC declares schedule, the model code of conduct will come into force.

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No time to challenge HC verdict: AG

PANJIM: With no much time left in hand to defy the High Court of Bombay at Goa timeline set for conduct of panchayat elections, the Advocate General Devidas Pangam ruled out possibility of challenging the High Court verdict before the Supreme Court.

The High Court on June 28 quashed State government’s decision to postpone elections to 186 village panchayats and directed to issue notification within three days. It also asked the State Election Commission (SEC) to complete the entire poll process within 45 days, which ends on August 12.

The court also dimissed State’s plea for further extension of time.

Speaking to media persons post verdict, on Thursday, Pangam said that there is no much time left to challenge the verdict before the Supreme Court.

“We have to issue the notification declaring poll date and schedule by tomorrow (Friday). So one day time is not enough to move Supreme Court,” he said.