Team Herald
PANJIM: With files piling up and affecting administrative and development works, the State government hopes the Election Commission of India (ECI) relaxes the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, which was imposed following the announcement of the Assembly elections on January 4. The code will continue till March 11, when the counting will take place.
What could further affect normal government functioning and delay development works is the panchayat elections scheduled in mid-May, as the State will again have a month-long code of conduct from April.
Speaking to media, CM Laxmikant Parsekar said the code of conduct should be lifted in the next couple of days. “We have not written to the Election Commission, but I feel in the next couple of days the restrictions under the code of conduct should be relaxed. The ECI should understand it that if we continue the code then we again will have similar code for the panchayat elections from April,” he said.
When contacted, CEO Kunal said the office cannot recommend lifting the code unless there is proposal from government. “If government writes to us demanding relaxation in code of conduct and the reason for the same, we can examine the proposal and submit a
report to ECI,” he said. He however also told Herald ” At the same time the poll code of conduct does not affect any routing work. All pending projects can contiues and expenses can be incurred. Only fresh deicisons on new projects cannot be taken”
During the code of conduct period, the Chief Minister and Ministers are not allowed to approve any administrative works or take policy decision. “I have directed the HoDs and Secretaries to clear all the files at their level and not to keep them pending. But despite that, lots of files are dumped in my office and hence kept pending for approval,” Parsekar said, adding that he has restrained himself from taking any policy decision.
During the code period, announcement of new projects or programmes or concessions or financial grants in any form or promises thereof or laying of foundation stones, is prohibited. No fresh sanctions for governmental schemes are to be made. Review by political executive (Ministers) and processing of beneficiary oriented schemes, even if ongoing, should be stopped till completion of elections.
During this time, government also cannot undertake any work in respect of which even if work orders have been issued before the code came into effect but work has not started in the field. These works can start only after the completion of election process. However, if a work has actually started, that can continue.
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Budget to be presented in last
week of March
The State administration has begun the process to formulate the State Budget 2017-18, which will be tabled after the new government takes office.
“Officers, including Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary, have begun the task of framing the budget. It is not a big challenge,” Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said. “The new CM can present the budget during the last week. Post counting and government formation, the new CM will have 10 to 15 days in hand to work on the Budget and present it before the House,” he added.
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Govt seeks AG’s view on Assembly
dissolution
The State government has sought the advice of Advocate General Saresh Lotlikar on continuation of the State assembly. “Government is not fully at fault. We could not have a session in January due to the code of conduct and now ethically I don’t feel it proper to call an Assembly session,” Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said.
Parsekar said he has sought the AG’s view on continuation of State Assembly and Government.
As per the Article 174 of the Constitution, the Legislative Assembly should meet at least once in six months, failing which the Assembly stands dissolved and President’s Rule is imposed. In the case of Goa, the last session of the Assembly was held in August, 2016 and another session should be held before February end. However, due to the Election Model Code of Conduct, imposed on January 4, the Government was and is not in position to call for a session.
