Notification on municipal polls kicks up row
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, AUG 30
The Notification issued by the Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) notifying Municipal wards elections to the Civic bodies has kicked up a row of sorts.
A group of Margao Municipal Councilors on Monday pointed out that the notification issued by the DMA is based on the Municipal election wards of 2005, adding that the new houses as shown n the electoral roll of January 2010 are not included in the roll.
In this respect, the City Fathers petitioned to the Salcete Mamlatdar to take steps to remedy the situation and advise the government to ensure that correct data is followed and remove the confusions in the minds of the electorate.
Councilors Ramdas Hazare, Luis Gonzaco Rebello, Livrament Barreto and Rajendra Azgaonkar stated that house numbershave changed in most instances following the new house tax assessment done by the Margao Municipal Council. “All these changes have not been incorporated and the Municipal polls are sought to be conducted on obsolete data of 2005 when new electoral rolls and relevant revised data is available”, they contended, adding “This is tantamount to a retrograde action which will confuse the voters and could result in the fall of voting percentage in the elections to the Civic bodies tentatively slated for October 31.
When contacted, the Salcete Mamlatdar said he has received the petition signed by the four MMC Councilors, adding that the petition will be forwarded to the Director of Municipal Administration for necessary action.
Sources in the know said the government is also aware of the notification issued by the DMA based on the 2005 data when prudence demands that the same ought to have been issued based on the latest data.
