PANAJI: Urban development department on Friday issued the order reserving 102 wards for women, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes in eleven councils to which elections are likely to be held in March-end.
This order comes following the state government’s assurance to the high court of Bombay at Goa in December 2020 that the notification for delimitation and reservation of seats will be issued at least three weeks prior to the date of the notification of the schedule for municipal elections.
Two separate petitions were heard by the high court that raised concerns over reservations. The adequate time was not maintained between notification for delimitation of constituencies and reservation of seats for municipal elections, and notifications of elections.
Municipal councils of Margao, Mormugao, Mapusa, Curchorem-Cacora, Quepem, Cuncolim, Canacona, Pernem, Bicholim, Sanguem and Valpoi are due for elections.
Last month, the government deferred the municipal polls in view of Covid vaccination that is under way in the state. Prior to that municipal polls were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
There was a buzz that municipal polls may be held on party-lines, but Goa may have to wait longer for that to happen.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Friday announced that the municipal elections will not be held on party lines.
His announcement comes on the heels of BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanawade’s recent request to the government not to conduct municipal elections on party lines.
For the zilla panchayat polls, which were held in December last year, the BJP won 33 out of 48 seats that had gone to polls. In this backdrop, the government's decision not to conduct elections on party lines has come as a surprise.