MARGAO: Commenting on the High Court’s verdict on the municipal election reservation, Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai said, “The government has violated the Indian Constitution by making an independent State Election Commission (SEC) completely dependent on the government’s whims and fancies.”
Sardesai claimed that the government’s attempts to make the SEC its puppet was so brazen that it started off with the resignation of RK Srivastava, the State commissioner who resigned on November 4, 2020. Couple of days later, the Law Secretary Chokha Ram Garg was appointed as commissioner, which was nothing more than an “illegal hijacking of the SEC, and Pramod Sawant and his government must be held accountable”.
Sardesai stated that the Zilla Panchayat elections held on December 12, 2020 and the upcoming municipal elections have all been designed according to the whims and fancies of the BJP-led government.
Sardesai said that “the SEC commissioner is an agent of the BJP, who is working as per the directions given by the State unit. He needs to be sacked immediately”.
He pointed out that the upcoming municipal elections were in complete violation of the Constitution and thanked the Honourable High Court for delivering its verdict which ensured that the elections are held in compliance with the Constitution.
The Fatorda MLA added that it is shameful that the government has to rig elections to win.
“It is shocking to learn how shameless the government is, with its plans to proceed with the municipal elections without appointing an independent State Election Commissioner, and permitting a non-independent body to supervise the elections.”
Sardesai called the attention of all Opposition members and the general public to hold the government accountable.
He said, “The remaining Opposition needs to wake up and also walk the talk. Uniting as one Team Goa is the only way to assure that Goenkars have true representation, otherwise we are just fooling Goa.”
