PANJIM: The BJP-led government will have to wait for the October 25 Municipal elections to end before opening up the Regional Plan 2021 (RP21) for fresh public suggestions and objections, with the State Election Commission (SEC) of the opinion that the government hold back the process.
The month-long election code of conduct is currently in force and will end on October 28. Eleven municipal councils are going to the polls on October 25.
Speaking to Herald, Election Commissioner, Dr M Modassir said the government would be advised not to go ahead with the process and to wait until the municipal elections end.
“We have not received any proposal from government on the issue. If they approach, us we will advise them to wait till the elections end,” he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, who holds the TCP portfolio, had said last week that the government will seek the view of the State Election Commission on whether the process can be notified during the ongoing code of conduct.
The file pertaining to keeping the plan open for suggestions and objections is pending before Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar for over a week. Parsekar’s busy schedule, including the developments on cabinet reshuffle, kept the RP issue pending.
The government intends to settle the controversies surrounding the RP by notifying the plan by December 2015 end.
As per information available under Right to Information (RTI), 166 panchayats have submitted inputs for correction of the notified RP21 while 15 panchayats have demanded that the plan be scrapped.
The government has received around 3500 objections and suggestions to the plan.
