Elections to Calangute panchayat postponed

PANAJI: The government on Sunday postponed polls for the Calangute panchayat from May 16 to May 21 following a recommendation from the State Election Commission (SEC). The SEC asked directorate of panchayats to postpone the Calangute elections to May 21 failing which it would ignore the corrigendum issued by the directorate on April 21 to amend a corrigendum issued on April 14.Confirming the postponement, panchayats director Menino D'Souza said, "SEC recommended that the elections be postponed and the government accepted it."
Addressing media persons earlier in the evening, state election commissioner M Modassir said, "We said we will not be able to take cognizance (of the April 21 corrigendum) unless the elections for the Calangute panchayat are postponed to May 21 instead of May 16. We have suggested (to the directorate) that we will be willing to hold (Calangute panchayat elections) on May 21."
"There is no harm in postponing the polls by a few days, as the ultimate purpose of the election commission is to hold elections in a proper manner," Modassir added.
Modassir further said, "SEC has asked the government to suspend the Bardez BDO, Calangute panchayat secretary, panchayat clerk and talathi for their role in manipulation in the delimitation process. The corrigendum was issued on the advice of these people. It was a corrigendum on a corrigendum. The election is being hindered due to alleged wrong data provided by these individuals," he added.
He said the officials would be suspended, pending an inquiry and action would be taken after receiving the inquiry report.