Team Herald
PANJIM: Following the Supreme Court ruling, Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) is likely to notify the new ward reservations in the five municipalities on Monday.
DMA has initiated the process to rectify the anomalies in the reservation of wards in the five municipalities of Margao, Mormugao, Mapusa, Sanguem and Quepem. DMA is likely to increase one ward each for women candidates in these municipal areas so as to ensure one-third reservation for the category. The reservation will be also be strictly on rotation basis as highlighted by the Courts.
DMA Director Gurudas Pilarnkar said that a fresh process has been initiated and the new reservation notification would be issued on Monday and that the reservation will strictly follow rotation basis.
Sources in DMA told Herald that they have to basically ensure that one-third reservation is given to women in the municipalities. “Accordingly, one additional seat would be reserved for them in all the five councils,” sources said.
Elections in the five municipalities are currently stalled.
The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the order of the High Court of Bombay at Goa setting aside the notification of reservation of wards in the five municipal areas, while directing DMA to rectify the errors and issue a fresh notification within ten days.
It also directed SEC to expeditiously notify the election programme, on the order for reservation of seats in the municipal councils being issued by DMA and to ensure its completion on or before April 30. The elections in the five municipalities were initially scheduled on March 21.
