Team Herald
PANJIM: Directorate of Panchayats has kept the delimitation process and other preparatory work for the Panchayat polls on hold following a demand from civil society groups.
Speaking to Herald, Panchayats Director Gurudas Pilarnekar said the entire process has been put on hold. He said that starting work after the new government is formed, may result in the department falling short of time for the preparations but that it would have to be done.
He said the department had not actually commenced the process of delimitation of the wards but had started the process of distributing the voters in the wards of the panchayat. “It is a lengthy process, we have to see each and every house and classify them in the wards which are in large numbers,” Pilarnekar said.
“I have problem with the time as State Election Commission has proposed to hold Panchayat elections on May 21. I cannot propose to postpone it as after that the monsoons and academic year will start,” he said.
The Panchayat elections are likely to take place on May 21 where 190 village panchayats across Goa will vote for formation of new village bodies.
Meanwhile, earlier the BJP has also demanded with the State Election Commission to stop delimitation proceedings for the panchayat elections.
