Goa: Plea challenging nomination of CCP councillors rejected

PANAJI: The high court of Bombay at Goa on Monday dismissed a petition challenging the Corporation of City of Panaji’s (CCP) nomination of two councillors to the CCP.
The high court found “nothing unreasonable in the perception of the state government” that a former corporator, who has been a deputy major, or a former corporator who has been a member of the market committee of the corporation would have special knowledge or experience in municipal administration.
The high court stated that it is concerned with “nominations” and not “appointments”, and pointed out that no restrictions were pointed out either in the Constitution or in the CCP Act based on which CCP should have issued advertisements or invited applications of councillors having special knowledge or experience in municipal administration.
“The court does not sit in appeal over decisions or choices of administrative bodies while exercising judicial review. The power is neither intended to review governance under the rule of law, nor to step into areas exclusively reserved by our Constitution to the other organs of the state,” stated the division bench comprising Justices Mahesh Sonak and R N Laddha.
Social activist Aires Rodrigues submitted to the court that the notification nominating Kabir Pinto Makhija and Kishor Sastry as ‘co-opted councillors’ issued by the state on April 28, 2021 was done in haste and is ultra vires as there is no provision under the CCP Act for co-option of any councillors.