Panaji, Mar 1 : The Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday set aside a notification issued by Directorate of Municipal Administration reserving various wards in five municipal councils where elections are scheduled this month.
The court also order re-conduct of exercise of reservation of wards in the councils which included Margao, Mormugao, Mapusa, Sanguem and Quepem.
However, the court allowed the State Election Commission (SEC) to go ahead with the election process in other municipalities as announced earlier.
On February 4, 2021, the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) had issued notification reserving various wards in the five civic bodies for polls.
The Congress and Goa Forward Party (GFP) along with seven other petitioners in the case had alleged the reservation of wards was politically motivated and illogical.
The SEC has announced elections for 11 municipal councils and the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) on March 20, 2021.
There are around 2.5 lakh eligible voters for the elections.
Reacting to the order, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Digambar Kamat criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and claimed that it was end of the ‘Jumla Raj’
“With Honble High Court striking down DMA notification dated 4th February 2021 on Municipal ward reservations, it is beginning of End of @BJP4Goa governments jumla raj with manipulations in electoral polls. Let us all rise to Save Democracy,” he tweeted.
Goa Forward Party (GFP) President Vijay Sardesai also welcomed the verdict saying ‘Satyamev Jayate’.
(UNI)
