Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The abrupt cancellation of the Ponda by-election just hours before polling has triggered a major political controversy in Goa, with opposition leaders alleging misuse of constitutional institutions and calling it a setback to democratic rights.
Senior Congress leaders have claimed that the decision to call off the election barely 16 hours before voting deprived the people of Ponda of their right to elect a representative, despite campaigns being completed, ballots issued, and candidates fully prepared.
They further questioned the role of the Election Commission for not challenging the development, stating that the move raises serious concerns about the functioning of democratic processes.
Meanwhile, Congress candidate Dr Ketan Bhatikar has approached the Supreme Court seeking restoration of the election and the people’s right to representation. The petition has been filed and is expected to come up for hearing later this week.
The cancellation follows an April 8 order by the Bombay High Court’s Goa bench, which set aside the Election Commission of India’s notification for the by-election. The court held that conducting the poll would violate provisions of the Representation of the People Act, as the remaining term of the Goa Legislative Assembly is less than one year.
The petition challenging the notification was filed by two registered voters from the constituency, who argued that the election was not valid given the limited tenure left for any newly elected MLA. The Assembly’s term is scheduled to end on March 14, 2027.
Taking note of the timeline, the court observed that since the election results were to be declared on May 4, the successful candidate would have served for only around nine months, reinforcing its decision to quash the notification.
