PANJIM: In wake of rising COVID-19 cases, the State Election Commission (SEC) today announced postponement of the polls for eleven Municipal Councils, scheduled on October 18, by three months. The term of existing council ends on November 4.
The SEC has also moved a proposal to the State government for conduct of online polls, which is under consideration.
Addressing a press conference, Election Commissioner RK Srivastava said that in view of the present COVID crisis, the Commission has decided to postpone the municipal elections by three months.
He said that the SEC will assess the situation after three months, before finalizing the dates for conduct of elections.
Srivastava said that the Commission has given a thoughtful consideration to the developing COVID situation in the State as a whole because the eleven municipal councils are located at different geographical positions in the State and the cases are being reported from almost all over Goa.
“The Commission considers that the life of the people cannot be put to risk by notifying the election programme. The Commission, simply, in order to hold the elections, to the municipal councils timely, cannot afford to compromise with the health and safety of the people, voters, candidates, election staff and the security staff, which it considers as the matter of paramount concern, in the wake of the developing COVID situation,” Srivastava said.
The Commissioner pointed out that as per government report, from July 15 to August 14, a total of 7,986 positive cases have been reported and 74 persons have died.
Responding to a question on conduct of Zilla Panchayat elections, which are postponed indefinitely, the Commissioner said that the same can be held simultaneously along with Municipal polls, next year.
