PANJIM: Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho on Friday said that there is no question of postponing the elections to the 186 panchayats, but that the government will follow the recent Supreme Court directives in letter and spirit.
The CM has taken recourse to “sending the file” to the State Election Commission and placing it firmly in that court. “The file seeking time to hold elections to panchayats, has been sent to the State Election Commission (SEC) and it is for the commission to take the final decision,” Dr Pramod Sawant said
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
He had also said that the government does not want to go ahead with the elections without reservations to OBCs. “File with the recommendation is sent to the SEC. Now it is for them to decide,” Sawant said.
Speaking to the media, on Friday Godinho said, “There is no question of postponement. What is important is to conduct the triple test and the Advocate General has also clearly opined that it should be referred to the Goa State Commission for Backward Classes. Depending on what report is given by the OBC Commission to the government, we will take a decision on holding elections,” he said, adding that there is no question of postponement. Elections to 186 panchayats are due before June 19.
The Minister said that the government has to follow the Supreme Court order in letter and spirit. “All States are following it and we have to follow it,” he said, adding that the government has acted instantly on the triple test and the Goa State Commission for Backward Classes has been entrusted with this task.
Godinho said that the government’s priority is to hold panchayat elections as early as possible but the Supreme Court judgment has come in the way and the government has to follow it. The government is not shying away from elections when it is not contested on party lines, he said.
In his opinion, Advocate General Devidas Pangam had advised that the State has no option but to follow the triple-test procedure laid down by the Supreme Court for OBC reservations.
He said that the data, which the State Election Commission (SEC) currently possesses, based on which reservation is done for OBC, for the ensuing panchayat polls, is not as per Supreme Court directions and hence will have to be redone.
2013 survey can be used to hold polls, says chairman of Commission for Backward Classes
Goa State Commission for Backward Classes chairman Manohar Adpaikar on Friday said that the State government can hold panchayat elections based on its survey conducted in 2013 subject to the triple test.
Adpaikar said that the 2013 survey prepared by the Commission was used to reserve wards for the 2017 panchayat elections. He said that the actual work of conducting the survey with respect to Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Scheduled tribes (ST) communities was started in 2008 and it lingered for various reasons and was completed in 2013 when the question of enhancing the reservation for OBC from 19.5 percent to 27 percent came up.
As per the 2013 survey, the population of OBC communities in the State was 3,83,093, he said, adding that it has increased during the last nine years. The reservation of wards for OBC communities is a statutory provision unlike for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities which is a constitutional provision, he added.
Adpaikar further said that the government is aware of the availability of data because the Directorate of Panchayats had also collected a copy of the 2013 survey prepared by the Goa State Commission for Backward Classes. He admitted that there is a difference between the 2013 survey and the triple test mandated by the Supreme Court and that the State Election Commission (SEC) will be the appropriate authority to work on the triple test.
Adpaikar also clarified that the Goa State Commission for Backward Classes was not defunct and that he took over as chairman in October last year followed by the appointment of four directors to the board in November last.
