Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) issued a draft notification outlining the proposed delimitation of 30 wards for the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), marking a key step toward the civic elections likely to be held in mid-March.
As per a public notice from the Department of Urban Development, the draft specifies the number of wards and their respective boundaries for the upcoming municipal polls. The document has been made available for public scrutiny at the offices of the Tiswadi Mamlatdar and the CCP from January 21 to January 29. The inspection can be done on all working days, excluding Sundays and public holidays, during regular office hours.
Residents have been invited to submit objections, suggestions, or corrections regarding the draft delimitation within this period. Submissions are to be addressed to the Mamlatdar of Tiswadi, Panaji.
The delimitation process, however, is unfolding amid legal uncertainty, with a petition pending before the Supreme Court questioning the DMA’s authority to carry out the exercise.
Former CCP councillor Menino da Cruz has challenged the process, contending that the responsibility of delimitation rests with the State Election Commission (SEC), a constitutionally independent body, and not with the DMA, which operates under the state government. Da Cruz had initially moved the Bombay High Court at Goa, but after his plea was dismissed, he approached the Apex Court, where the matter is yet to be decided.
The challenge has triggered concerns among opposition leaders and civil society organisations, who fear possible political interference in the conduct of municipal elections. In the past, Revenue Minister Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate—who has wielded considerable influence over CCP politics since 2006—has faced allegations of impacting electoral processes, including ward delimitation.
The forthcoming CCP elections are being viewed as politically significant, with ward delimitation playing a crucial role in shaping electoral representation across different neighbourhoods within the city.
While the DMA has gone ahead with publishing the draft, the pending Supreme Court case has raised questions over the legal validity of the process. Should the Apex Court rule in favour of Da Cruz, the task of delimitation may be transferred to the SEC, potentially affecting the schedule and procedure of the civic polls.
