Goemkaponn Desk
PANAJI: Ahead of Municipal body elections, likely to take place in February-March, the State govt has increased number of wards of five Municipalities.
In the Bicholim Municipal area the number of wards likely to be notified for upcoming elections is 14 while at present the wards as per 2015 election were 12.
Similarly, Cuncolim Municipality area the wards likely to be notified for upcoming elections is 14. In Churchorem-Cacora 15, in Quepem municipality it is 13 and lastly Canacona where it is likely to be increased to 12 from current 10 wards.
The Department of Urban Development has requested the said municipalities to initiate the process of rationalization of the wards of concerned Municipal Council on the basis of equitable distribution of population/voters and geographical contiguity and complete the exercise on or before 12/1/2021 and submit the same to this office alongwith a soft copy in word format so that the required notification specifying the number of wards and the extent and limit of each ward, under sub-section (1) of section 10 of the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968.
The five-year tenure of the eleven municipal councils ended on November 4. The Municipal Administrators are currently overseeing the affairs of eleven municipalities. The council of Mormugao, Margao, Mapusa, Bicholim, Cuncolim, Curchorem, Quepem, Canacona, Sanguem, Pernem and Valpoi was elected on October 27, 2015.
The SEC had initially proposed to conduct the polls to elect new council on October 18; however, due to worsening COVID-19 crisis, the polls were postponed by three months.
Sources have revealed the elections for 11 municipal councils and the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) will. be held by end of February 2021
