TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Zilla Panchayat elections, the first to be held on party lines in the State, have been scheduled for March 18, by the State Election Commission. In another first, this time both the ZPs North and South Goa would have equal representation – 25 seats each.
The five-year tenure of the North and South Goa Zilla Panchayats ends in March this year. The last elections were held on March 8, 2010.
The SEC notification to be issued Thursday, states that counting will take place on March 19 and 20. The delimitation of wards too is complete and will be notified.
State Election Commissioner, Dr M Modassir confirmed that the government wants March 18 as the date for conducting the elections. “The schedule has been sent for notification and the same will be released on Thursday,” he said, adding that the notification will elucidate the delimitation and reservation of wards.
The SEC will display the voters list from February 24 to 27; filing of nominations will begin from February 28 and will end on March 4; the scrutiny of applications will happen on March 5 and the last date for withdrawal is March 7.
OBC reservations will increase from 19.5 percent to 27 percent, while there would also be reservations for SCs, STs and women.
The government through a notification issued last month added Ponda taluka to South Goa district to ensure that there are an equal number of wards – 25 each, in North and South Goa ZPs.
The government also through an ordinance amended the Panchayat Raj Act early February to conduct ZP elections on party lines. The decision was earlier cleared by the cabinet.
The government move is being strongly opposed by the present ZP members and political parties such as the Congress and NCP, though West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, have panchayat elections on party lines.
