Umamageshwari Maruthapan
Goa Government has decided to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the Bombay High Court Order that adjourned elections. According to the order, there is an adjournment of elections in five out of eleven municipal councils of Goa.
“We have decided that we will file an SLP in the Supreme Court. When an election process is imminent, Courts cannot adjourn it. Cases can be filed after an election process is over. We are going to SC on this principle,” State Counsel Advocate Devidas Pangam said.
The Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court, on 1st March 2021, postponed the elections in five municipalities, namely, Margao, Mapusa, Mormugao, Sanguem, and Quepem on the ground of defects in reservation of wards for Women and Scheduled Castes.
The Court directed the Goa Government to rework the reservations of wards in the five above-mentioned councils.
However, elections in the other six municipalities will be conducted as per the schedule notified by the State Election Commission, the Bench ordered.
Several petitions were filed before the Apex Court following the notification released by the Directorate of Municipal Administration, Goa that reserved wards in these five municipalities for the upcoming elections. The petitions stated that the said reservation scheme was politically motivated.