SUDIN DHAVALIKAR DEMAND STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO CLEAR ITS STAND ON ZP POLLS.
PONDA: Former PWD Minister and Marcaim MLA Sudin Dhavalikar on Saturday demanded that the State Election Commission (SEC) should clear its stand on holding Zilla Panchayats (ZP) elections which were deferred in March this year due to novel Coronavirus infection.
He said elections should be held as per Constitution and following election laws. He pointed out that entire election procedures including campaigning were completed and only polling was pending when the elections were postponed on March 22.
Dhavalikar said some political parties are now trying to derive the benefit of pending ZP elections by luring the voters. He said the election process should be continued from where it was halted and only voting for the ZP election be held. He condemned the core committee meeting of a political party in South Goa now trying to capitalize by distributing food grains on the occasion of the Diwali festival to win the ZP elections. He appealed to the electorate not to fall prey to such a campaign and elect good candidates.
Dhavalikar also demanded that in the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic, events like Narkasur effigy contest and Sunburn EDM festival be stopped.
The Marcaim MLA slammed the Directorate of Panchayats for failing to release grants to village panchayats for the last three years. He also ridiculed the government for declaring Goa open defecation free (ODF) and added that people are still spotted defecating in the open along the Airport road. The government should tender an apology to the village panchayats and municipal councils since its claim of ODF had fallen flat.