Team Herald
PANJIM: In the run up to the village panchayat elections to be held in 2022, the State Election Commission (SEC) has started work on division of panchayat wards and reservation of seats.
“As per the recent amendment to Section 7 of Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, the task of dividing panchayat areas into wards and reservation of seats is assigned to the State Election Commission in consultation with the government,” the SEC said in a statement issued on Tuesday. In that regard, the SEC has initiated the process of redrawing of panchayat areas into wards.
“Mamlatdars /Jt Mamlatdars are appointed as the Electoral Registration Officers (ERO) and awal karkuns/head clerks are appointed asst electoral registration officers (AERO). The EROs/AEROs are informed to utilise the draft electoral roll of the Goa Legislative Assembly published on Nov 1, 2021 to form village panchayat wards, considering the part and sections of the said electoral roll and send the proposals to this Commission at first instance,” the SEC added.
It also stated that the EROs/AEROs, while forming wards, shall consider geographical contiguity and natural boundaries.
“The wards shall be proposed in consonance to Section 7 of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (Goa Act 14 of 1994). The EROs/AEROs shall prepare ward wise village panchayat maps and submit the same along with the final proposal,” said SEC.
The Goa SEC further announced that the final published Electoral Roll of the Goa Legislative Assembly with qualifying date as January 1, 2022 shall be utilised to assign voters to the panchayat wards and reformation of the panchayat wards if required.
“The final proposals may be submitted to this Commission thereafter,” SEC added.
