Voices against delimitation of panchayat wards for the ensuing panchayat elections have been growing in Bardez and around the State.
the goan I network
MAPUSA
Residents of Ucassaim-Paliem-Punola have accused authorities of dividing wards without maintaining geographical continuity and with vested political interests.
“Voters from the wards have been interchanged and shifted in different wards to suit interests of certain political party, thereby committing mischief and fraud on voters of the village,” said former Ucassaim sarpanch Cosme Martins.
Further, the residents have accused Ucassaim Panchayat Secretary Clifton Azavedo of cheating and committing fraud against the voters in the formation of the wards. In a letter to the Director of Panchayats (DoP), the villagers said Azavedo in connivance with one ward member has effected the shifting and jumping of the voters in different wards.
“Although there is specific direction from the Director of Panchayats not to move or shift any voters in different wards without geographical contiguity, the secretary has illegally bifurcated the wards against the order,” said Siddharth Madgaonkar.
“Many voters have been shifted and interchanged in different wards,” he added.
He said the shifting of voters from one ward to another has created tension and pressure among the voters, as they were not aware which ward they are representing.
The residents said that the population of the area as per census data was more than 5000, but despite several requests to change the panchayat to a nine-member body, the authorities had failed to act on it.
Stating that this time there was vast difference in reconstitution of wards, as compared to 2012, the villagers sought action against the panchayat secretary for committing fraud and manipulation while conducting the process of delimitation of wards. In his defence, Azavedo said he had prepared the delimitation process as per directives of the DoP..
“After I submitted the draft of the delimitation process, it was confirmed by the mamlatdar and talathi, who found my draft true. Only then was it notified,” Azavedo said. It may be recalled Calangute panchayat had also raised objections against the delimitation process and has approached the HC on the issue.
