High Court admits petition challenging MMC elections
LEGAL CORRESPONDENT
PANJIM, OCT 11
The High Court of Bombay at Goa has admitted a writ petition challenging the fairness of the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) elections.
The Division Bench comprising of Justice D G Karnik and Justice F M Reis admitted the Petition on Monday, filed by Laurel Abranches, Cryodon Madeira and Succoro D’Souza, who are all residents of Fatorda.
The petitioners had sought that directions were to be given to the Director of Municipal Administration for holding elections to the MMC only after compliance with the provisions of the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968 and Election Rules, 1969.
The Petitioners, represented by Advocate Nigel Costa E Frias contended that the Director of Municipal Administration had conducted an illegality in the procedure of notification of the Margao Municipal Elections.
The Petitioners stated that the procedure was illegal and arbitrary and not in accordance with the Election Rules as well as the Municipalities Act.
There was a prayer made for a stay of the operation, and execution of the order of the DMA. The Bench however did not grant any stay nor any other interim relief while admitting the Petition.
The Bench also heard two separate petitions filed by two candidates for the Pernem Municipal Council Elections, namely Ejidor Fernandes and Valentino Mascarenhas,. One of the Petitions, filed by Ejidor Fernandes challenged reservation of Ward No.1 for women.
The petitioner contended that there was an improper rotation of reservation of a ward done to reserve the ward for a particular woman candidate on consecutive occasions. The Court admitted the petition without any interim orders.
The second Petition filed by Valentino Fernandes has challenged an order of the deputy collector cancelling his caste certificate on the ground that he does not belong to the Scheduled Tribe community.
The Petitioner had obtained the caste certificate for seeking nomination to ward no. 9, which has been reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidate.
The Petition will now be heard further on October 12.
