TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: The Shristhal deputy sarpanch’s decision to remain with her paramour in Rajasthan and her refusal to return to Goa has left the village and the panchayat in an awkward situation.
Not only are residents of her ward deprived of a panch, the village does not have an effective deputy sarpanch to handle the panchayat in the absence of the sarpanch.
Deputy Sarpanch Amrita Bhandari can neither be disqualified as a panch member without following the mandatory procedure of three successive abstentions in panchayat meetings, nor can a new deputy sarpanch be elected unless she resigns on her own, or is unseated in a no-confidence motion.
Till then, Bhandari continues to remain as panch and deputy sarpanch.“Bhandari could still send in her resignation by post or other means, if she does not want to come back and does not wish to serve her ward as an elected representative. Otherwise, the panchayat secretary would have to file a report for her disqualification if she fails to attend three successive panchayat meetings,” informed Extension Officer (Panchayat) Luis D’Silva, when contacted in the absence of Canacona BDO Uday Prabhudessai, who is away on election duty.
According to sources, Bhandari attended the last panchayat meeting this month and if she does not resign, the Panchayat secretary may have to wait for the next three panchayat meetings. This could take about three months, as the panchayat body meets once a month.
“The panchayat secretary can submit his report for disqualification of the deputy sarpanch through the BDO only in July, since the deputy sarpanch was present during the March panchayat meeting,” the source added.
“The file then has to be moved to the Directorate of Panchayat and about a month could be lost for her to be disqualified as panch. Then again, if a by-election is to be held, authorities have a time of up to six months to conduct the by-elections,” informed the sources.
The BDO office also confirmed that no resignation, either as deputy sarpanch or as panch, has been received from Amrita Bhandari thus far.
Incidentally, reliable sources have informed Herald that Bhandari, before leaving the State, had reportedly kept her resignation letter with one of her well-wishers, with instructions to submit it to authorities at an appropriate time.
A close relative of Amrita Bhandari was, however, optimistic that she would return to Goa and would continue to serve as panch and deputy sarpanch.
“She has been given time to reconsider her decision to remain in Rajasthan for good. We have high hopes that she will be back and will continue to function as panch of her ward and deputy sarpanch of Shristhal,” said the relative.
