PANJIM: The Chief Electoral Officer has forwarded Revenue Department’s letter seeking permission to make a payment to Subash Shirodkar’s Vedanta Real Estates to the Election Commission of India.
The State Industries Department had purchased land in Shiroda from Shirodkar for Rs 70 crore. An initial payment of around Rs 13 crore has already been made while the second instalment of Rs 9.24 cr was due now. However due to the model code of conduct the instalment has been stuck.
A letter by Revenue Secretary Nila Mohanan says the department is in receipt of a proposal from the Collector (South) wherein it is requested to inform whether the Model Code of Conduct is applicable for making payment of second instalment amounting to Rs 9,24,13,307.50 to Vedanta Real Estate Developers represented through its four directors: Umesh Shirodkar, Satyesh Shirodkar, Amit Shirodkar and Subash Shirodkar.
“The said matter was placed before the Screening Committee Constituted vide Order No – 7/5/2019-PER/836 dated 12/03/2019 and the Screening Committee in its meeting held on 20/03/2019 has decided to refer the matter to the Chief Electoral Officer, Goa for seeking permission to make payment of second instalment,” it said.
However the CEO office has also expressed inability to grant permission for clearance of the payment. Additional CEO Narayan Sawant said the matter has been referred to ECI for decision and it is for the ECI to decide whether to grant NOC or not.
