Davorlim Sarpanch elected unopposed
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MAY 14
Francisco Sebestiao Dias is the new Sarpanch of the village Panchayat of Davorlim.
In the elections held on Friday, Dias was elected unopposed after the Presiding Officer Raghunath Chari received his lone nomination papers for the post.
He succeeds Sandeep Verlekar who had quit office as per an understanding amongst the ruling group.
The election had evoked keen interest and had triggered a debate whether former Sarpanch Martin Rocha will be allowed to cast his vote in today’s election. The Presiding Officer Chari told newsmen that he had allowed Martin to participate in the election process after he obtained stay from the Supreme Court against the order of the High Court disqualifying him from the Panchayat membership.
In fact, Rocha was prominently seen amongst the members of the ruling group at today’s election, which elected the new Sarpanch unopposed.
After his election, the new Sarpanch thanked the group for electing him unopposed and promised to usher all round development of the village. He said he and other members of the ruling group owe their allegiance to former MLA Luizinho Faleiro.
“I will try to bring about development in the village. Besides, awareness will be made on all schemes meant for the upliftment of the poor and the downtrodden”, he added.
The presiding officer R Chari told newsmen that barring one, all the remaining 10 Panchayat members attended today’s meeting. “Panch Rocha was allowed to take part in today’s election exercise as he has obtained stay on the High Court order debarring him from participating in the panchayat affairs”, Chari added.
