Elections to post of sarpanch and deputy sarpanch postponed
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Cries of sabotage and murder of democracy rent the air at the Dramapur-Sirlim village panchayat on Friday as the presiding officer appointed to conduct elections for the vacant post of sarpanch and deputy sarpanch played truant on health grounds.
The presiding officer Anuradha Sarang’s absence triggered outrage as the panchayat officials could not proceed with the conduct of election. What agitated the four-member group on the seven-member panchayat body was the failure of the Salcete Block Development Office to depute a replacement for the presiding officer to complete the election process.
When Herald contacted BDO Manuel Barretto to get an explanation on the episode, he said the presiding officer conveyed to him over the telephone at 9.30 am that she is indisposed and would not be able to make it to the Dramapur-Sirlim panchayat. “I could not arrange a replacement since I was in Panjim. There was no other officer in the BDO office I could have deputed as a replacement for Anuradha at the eleventh hour,” he said.
That did not stop the four-member group to accuse the government for sabotage and murder of democracy. Panch member Domnick Noronha said it was a pre-planned sabotage executed by the government. “The presiding officer was dictated to be sick and stay away. Is this the way people of Goa would live under the present government. This should be an eye opener,” he said.
Panch member Agostinho D’Costa, who was tipped to be the sarpanch, accused the Chief Minister for murdering democracy. “We did not expect this from the Parrikar regime. We have lost faith in the government. The presiding officer only suffered from “man-made sickness”. How could the presiding officer suddenly fall sick and why the BDO did not appoint a substitute?” he questioned.
Panchayat member Bernard Rebello said that the postponement will not have bearing on the unity of the four members in electing the sarpanch from amongst the group. “If the government thinks that they would split our four-member group by postponing the election, they are sadly mistaken. We are united and will elect the sarpanch we want,” Bernard asserted.
Elections to the post
of sarpanch and deputy sarpanch were necessitated following the ouster of then Sarpanch Olasrico Rodrigues and deputy Edcy Fernandes in a no-confidence motion exactly a month ago on
August 27.
