PANJIM: In a blatant attempt to save the Margao municipal council and to ensure that it does not slip from the hands of Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, the government went to the extent of circulating a cabinet note for its ministers to sign as a process for issuing an Ordinance to change the rules making the election of the chairpersons and vice chairpersons by show of hands.
Herald is aware that a cabinet note was moved on Tuesday by circulation to issue an Ordinance to amend the Goa Municipalities Act. Signatures of all the Ministers will be taken by the GAD before issuing the Ordinance, the sources said.
As per the Goa Municipalities Act, the election of chairperson and vice chairperson of all municipal council were to be elected by a secret ballot. But during the election of new chairperson of the Margao municipal council on September 16, Kamat and the ruling BJP leaders were in a rude shock when the candidate backed by them was defeated by 15-10 votes despite enjoying a majority of 15 councillors.
Soon all 15 councillors owing their allegiance to the BJP were taken before the God where they swore that they voted for party supported candidate.
Within 72 hours they tabled a no-confidence notice against newly elected chairperson Ghanashyam Shirodkar and ousted him after the presiding officer put the motion to vote by show of hands.
However, Shirodkar approached the High Court challenged the Presiding Officer’s discretionary power to hold election for the post of chairperson and vice chairperson by show of hands and not by a secret ballot as per the Act.
During the hearing on September 27, Advocate General Devidas Pangam told the High Court that the rule of secret ballot will be followed for the election of the chairperson of municipal councils.
Highly placed sources told Herald that a cabinet note was moved on Tuesday by circulation to issue the Ordinance. Signatures of all the Ministers will be taken before issuing the Ordinance, the sources said.
Issuing of Ordinance is not new for Kamat, who during his stint as Chief Minister had issued an Ordinance to amend century-old law to save a portion of the starred hotel at Dona Paula from being demolished following Supreme Court order.
Meanwhile, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday slammed the government for trying to issue an Ordinance to save the municipality. He said that on the “eve of Dussehra, evil is raising its head”. An Ordinance being circulated for cabinet approval to subvert the law that prescribes a secret ballot for municipal chairperson elections so that the ruling BJP can snatch power against the will of Goans.
