Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government is considering holding Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections by mid-March next year. The five-year term of the ZPs ends the same month. There is no clarity on whether the elections will be held on party lines, as was done in 2015.
Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho said the government will propose to the State Election Commission (SEC) March 2020 as when to hold the ZP polls. “One-month code of conduct will accordingly come into force from February,” he said.
Asked whether elections will be held on party lines, the Minister said the decision will be taken after consulting all the parties. “Government, political parties and stakeholders will have to have joint consultations to decide on whether to continue holding ZP elections on party lines,” he said.
In 2015, when elections had been fought on party lines, BJP and its ally MGP had contested the polls on their party symbol, while Congress had contested as independent. The BJP-led alliance had won 25 seats while independents had won 24 seats. Congress, this time, has decided to contest the ZP elections on the party symbol.
—
Common cadre for p’yat staff from January
Panchayat Minister Godinho said that the common cadre, introduced for for village panchayat staff that includes peons and clerks, will be implemented from January, next year.
The Directorate of Panchayat on March 5 had issued a notification with regards to ‘Common List of Panchayat Staff’ under Goa Panchayat (staffing pattern, scales of pay and mode of recruitment of staff of Panchayats) Order, 2019.
