Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Adv. Today, Aires Rodrigues filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India against Goa Chief Electoral Officer Mr. Kunal.
In his complaint Adv. Aires Rodrigues has drawn the attention of the Chief Election Commissioner, Sushil Kumar that the Chief Electoral Officer in Goa Mr. Kunal, has continued in the State for almost six long years. However, all IAS officers are transferred within three years.
While pointing out that Mr. Kunal had joined the Goa Administration on 16th November 2015 and has been Goa’s Chief Electoral Officer since 3rd August 2016, Adv. Rodrigues has sought the intervention of the Election Commission to ensure that the sanctity of the elections to the Goa Legislative Assembly scheduled for early next year is not compromised.
Adv. Rodrigues has in his complaint has further stated that Mr. Kunal conducted the 2017 Assembly elections with allegations of gross mismanagement and of being very partisan in not acting against blatant election malpractices by the ruling party.
While stating that in a democracy, free and fair elections are fundamental as otherwise, it would be an exercise in futility, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that politicians in power must not manipulate and dictate terms to officials whose mandate is to ensure free and fair polls.
Drawing the attention of the Chief Election Commissioner to the words of Former Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano, who had observed that “Organizing free and fair elections is more important than the result itself”, Adv. Rodrigues has sought that Mr. Kunal is immediately transferred out of Goa as it would be very improper to entrust him the task of holding the ensuing Assembly elections.
