Vasco: Kritesh Gaunkar was voted out by 12-0 as the Mormugao Municipal Council Chairperson during a special meeting that convened on Friday for the no-confidence motion.
The ruling panel abstained from voting despite making a demand for the utilization of the secret ballot box method to vote. Further, Shashikant Parab was toppled as the vice chairperson 13-0 where councilors raised their hands to indicate their vote.
However, there was a lot of ruckus during the no-confidence motion with Gaunekar refusing to accept the decisions. After a lengthy delay, the presiding officer, Shashank Tripathi, finally spoke to the media. “A special meeting had been convened as per the order of the Directorate of Municipal Administration to decide upon the no-confidence motion moved by the 13 councillors. All the councillors were given chance to speak, in support or opposition of the motion, later voting was done. In the motion for the removal of the present chairperson, total 13 votes were polled by the councillors from that one ballot was found invalid and rest twelve were in support of the motion. Therefore the motion is passed against Chairperson,” said Tripathi.
The presiding officer added that for the motion against the vice-Chairperson, it was done through the show of hands wherein 13 councillors raised their hands in support of the no-confidence motion while the remaining councillors abstained from voting. “I have prepared the minutes of the meeting and I will submit it to the DMA,” he added.
Kritesh Gaunkar, pointed out that at the meeting, only 13 councillors had voted while 1 was invalid making it 12 votes, which he felt was not enough to topple him. “Our council is of 25 members and to topple me it require 13 valid votes,” he explained. He further alleged that the decision taken by the presiding officer is wrong and that he will challenge the decision in the court. He also alleged there was a conspiracy in the methold followed during moving of the no-confidence motion against the Vice chairperson’s, which was done by showing of hands and not by secret ballot paper. So I will going to challenge both the orders in the court,” said Gaunkar.
On the other hand, councilor Deepak Naik, who was spearheading the no-confidence motion, claimed the ruling panel was worried about their strength and hence, had raised the issue about one councilor using a pen instead of a marker.
“When the ruling panel asked the presiding officer to go for secret ballot paper voting then why did the ruling panel councillors abstain from casting their votes? They have done a mockery of the government officers as well as the election process” he stated.
“I feel the voting is valid. When a presiding officer has given a decision that the motion has been passed then the chairperson abide by this decision. Instead he is sitting in the chairpersons’ cabin, which is unacceptable,” he added. He further opined that the ruling panel is selfish and that they consider themselves to be the complete council and work as per their whims and fancies.
Earlier in the meeting, councilor Murari Bandekar spoke against the no-confidence motion and said that Gaunkar and his panel is efficient and is for development. Gaunkar also said that this election is just a matter of numbers and refuted allegation made against him by the other councilors.
During the voting process, Shashikant Parab,Saifulla Khan, Sarita, Murari Bandekar and other ruling panel councillors abstained from voting. After the voting process, mediapersons had to wait for almost three hours to ascertain the final outcome of the special meeting and to know whether the motions were moved.
