Suspend Civic Polls Till Supreme Court Order: Goa Congress To Election Commission

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Girish Chodankar on Friday demanded the State Election Commission (SEC) to suspend the municipal election till the Supreme Court decides on the legality of the entire process.

In a letter to Goa State Election Commission, Mr Chodankar said: "The Supreme Court has only stayed the directives of the Bombay High Court and not ordered the resumption of the election process."

He argued that the Supreme Court's order, which was given on March 4, is applicable only for the Sanguem municipality.

"It is therefore requested of your esteemed office to accord due respect to the process of law and suspend the farcical exercise of election process till the myriad legal points in issue are deliberated and finally decided by the Supreme Court," the Congress leader said.

"As a Constitutional authority, the State Election Commission is bound to be independent and bound to act fairly. However, with the Law Secretary of Goa having been appointed to hold charge as State Election Commissioner, it is but natural that given the sordid manner in which the announcement of the elections was done, the State Election Commission is not functioning as an independent authority, but behaving like a stooge of the Government," he stated.

Mr Chodankar said that the civic poll process cannot be halted and then restarted and if stopped, then the entire process has to be initiated all over again.

The elections for 11 municipal councils and the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) will be held on March 20 and counting will be held on March 22.