NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to complete the election process related to the 15 wards of ten panchayats where the issues of reservation and delimitation had cropped up, on or before July 2.
“The High Court has extended time to SEC and directed it to announce a fresh schedule for only these wards and complete the process of election by July 2,” said director of panchayats Sandhya Kamat while confirming the news.
She said that the court has excluded ward number 6 of Curti Khandepar village panchayat as a lone candidate was declared elected unopposed there.
It may be recalled that citing technical and legal difficulties, the SEC had approached the High Court when the Supreme Court had stayed the High Court’s order. Thereafter, the SEC prayed before the High Court to extend time for the completion of the election process in the disputed wards.
Meanwhile, Dr Y Durgaprasad, officer on special duty (OSD) to SEC, said that from ward 5 of Chandor village panchayat where two candidates were in fray, candidate Joaquim Damiao Peixoto expired. Hence, as per the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, the SEC has issued an order to announce fresh schedule of the election process for the ward.
“We will announce a fresh schedule for 284 voters in the ward five of Chandor village panchayat as one of the candidates has died,” he said.
He said that over seven lakh electorate will turn up in 1,466 wards on the day of election to 186 village panchayats scheduled on June 11.
“Printing of the ballot papers is almost completed and from Wednesday the ballot papers will be dispatched to all the polling personnel,” he said.
Durgaprasad said that the second training for all the polling personnel has been started from June 5 and will continue till June 8.
“Under Returning Officers observation, the training for the polling staff is being conducted and soon after this, the training for the counting process will begin,” he said.
He said that eight officials will be deployed at each polling station which includes one presiding officer, three polling personnel, a peon and three police personnel.