TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PONDA: The Directorate of Panchayats has decided to refer to the State government the peculiar situation of the Bhoma-Adcolna Panchayat, where the deputy sarpanch is the acting sarpanch for the last seven months.
“We will approach the State government to discuss the issue of Bhoma-Adcolna Panchayat and based on the suggestion from the State government, a decision will be taken,” Director of Directorate of Panchayat Narayan Sawant told Herald.
Though the sarpanch’s post is reserved for woman in the seven-member Bhoma-Adcolna Panchayat, Deputy Sarpanch Damodar Naik is the acting sarpanch after Varsha Naik was ousted on August 17, 2012, barely three months after she took charge.
The two women panchas had accused the five male panchas of colluding to keep them from occupying the sarpanch’s post.
It may be recalled that on October 15, 2012, the election to elect a woman sarpanch was postponed after five male panchas boycotted the election process.
Former sarpanch Varsha Naik had proposed Mahima Naik’s candidature however since there was no pancha to second Naik’s candidature the election was postponed.
The election was once again postponed on December 14, 2012, for a similar reason. However this time all the panchas were present but none of the five male panchas seconded Mahima’s candidature.
Unhappy with the functioning of the panchayat, villagers disrupted Gram Sabha proceedings and passed a resolution that they won’t allow a Gram Sabha until and unless the sarpanch is elected.
It is learnt that an election to fill the sarpanch’s post has to be conducted within 60 days and accordingly the Block Development Office Ponda conducted an election within the stipulated period on two occasions but the process could not be completed as there was no pancha to second Mahima’s candidature.
With over 60 days having passed after the second election was conducted, the Directorate of Panchayat has decided to approach the State government for a solution.
