PANJIM: Elections to the Serula Comunidade have been scheduled on December 13 despite a pending investigation by Crime Branch to be challenged in the High Court.
Concerned Citizens Forum of Socorro-Porvorim said the elections have been illegally scheduled as permission needs to be taken from High Court of Bombay at Goa, which the administrator has not taken.
Wilbur Ticlo member of the Forum and shareholder of Serula Comunidade said that Crime Branch, under observation of the HC, is investigating a fraud and forgery case concerning the comunidade and any decision regarding the comunidade needs the court’s permission.
Ticlo alleged that the persons being investigated are set to contest the elections, which is against the ethics of the comunidade. He has called upon Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, who holds the Revenue portfolio, to intervene in the matter and scrap the election process.
“Till Crime Branch nails the culprits who looted the comunidade of hundreds of crores of rupees, nothing can be done. No elections can be held unless the HC gives its consent,” Ticlo said.
He added that on Friday the Forum will approach the High Court with a demand to cancel the elections.
The gazette notification announcing the election was published on November 5 and was signed by North Goa Comunidade Administrator Dashrath Redkar. The comunidade has 409 shareholders and 3400-odd Gaonkars who are eligible to vote.
The forgery has the alleged involvement of politicians as well as govt officials, Ticlo said.
