Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The State government has made it clear that the Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections will be held on December 13 as originally scheduled, dismissing any possibility of a delay.
Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant reiterated the government’s stand, stating, “There will be no change in the ZP election schedule. It will be held as announced.” His statement follows a recommendation from the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) to defer the polls until the completion of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which concludes with the final list on February 7, 2026.
Earlier, Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Goel had noted that the election notification was yet to be issued and the CEO’s proposal for postponement was awaiting a response from the government.
However, State Election Commissioner Menino D’Souza confirmed that the electoral timeline remains unchanged. He said the formal schedule would be announced shortly, adding that there was no reason to alter the existing plan.
Sources in the administration indicated that officials not involved in the SIR revision process are expected to be deployed for election-related duties. “The current ZP body’s term ends in the first week of January, and it’s important that the new council is in place before then,” an official said.
The CEO has advised that if the SIR process overlaps with the elections, separate officers should be designated as returning officers to prevent any disruption.
The State Election Commission has already appointed Deputy Collectors and Mamlatdars as Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers for the upcoming polls.
