Team Herald
PANJIM: Even after the High Court intervention, the State Election Commission and the State government do not appear to have come to an agreement on the dates for panchayat polls.
A day after the High Court of Bombay at Goa directed the State panchayat polls be held on or before June 12, the State Election Commission (SEC) has proposed to hold the elections on June 11 as it is a Sunday, and Director of Panchayat said that the delimitation process would be completed by May 5.
Speaking to Herald, State Election Commissioner R K Srivastava said the commission is prepared to hold the Panchayat polls and added that as June 11 is a Sunday the elections have been proposed on that date.
He said that the Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers have already been appointed in all 12 talukas.
“We are all set to hold elections as directed by the High Court and hence we have proposed to the government to hold elections on June 11,” Srivastava said.
Panchayats Director Sandhya Kamat said that the delimitation of wards would be completed by Friday evening and hence the notification would be issued as and when she gets an order from government.
Wards have been increased in 16 panchayats – six in South Goa and 10 in North Goa. In all, 32 wards have been added to the existing list which brings the total wards to 1522 in 185 panchayats excluding seven wards in the new Panchayat of Quelossim.
“We have taken due care to avoid the confusion in the delimitation process and have also asked the officer to take help of BLOs while dividing voters in the wards,” she said.
Srivastava said the commission will notify the schedule once the government issues the notification of the election date.
“It will start with displaying electoral rolls in the panchayats for a minimum five days and after seven days nomination will start which will go for a week,” he said.
He said the code of conduct will come in force in the State from first day of the filing the nominations and counting will take place keeping a day’s gap after the polls.
