The Times of India 17.04.2013
Ponda municipal council goes to polls on May 12
PONDA: After delimitation of wards of the Ponda municipal council (PMC), Ponda's residents will finally choose 14 councillors on May 12.
The directorate of municipal administration (DMA) issued a notification in this regard on Tuesday afternoon.
The actual term of the PMC ended on February 6 and it was necessary to have fresh elections to the council, however, the DMA had planned to delimit the wards of the council and had asked the state election commission in December, 2012, for a time of four months.
The DMA had planned to add one more ward to the earlier 13 wards and at the same time, had a plan to reorganize the 10 wards of Sankhali municipal council (SMC), by sparing its two wards to form a new Arvalem village panachayat.
Speaking to TOI, urban development minister Francis D'Souza had said that the DMA was in the process of deleting two wards from the SMC for the proposed Arvalem village panchayat and rearrange the wards of the SMC to 10.
Besides, he had said that they want to conduct the elections to PMC and SMC on the same day. Some residents of Ponda had challenged the government decision to postpone the PMC election before a court of law and the DMA had assured the court that it may conduct the election by May 5.
But, Ponda celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on May 5 and the election commission sought permission from the court to hold elections on May 12.
Six wards reserved: The director of municipal administration Elvis Gomes said that a total of six wards among the 14 wards have been reserved for OBCs and women candidates.
Ward numbers 2,5,8,11 and 14 are reserved for women and among them ward numbers 8 and 14 would be especially reserved for women from the OBC category. Ward number 4 has been reserved for OBC candidates, Gomes said.
The directorate of municipal administration (DMA) issued a notification in this regard on Tuesday afternoon.
The actual term of the PMC ended on February 6 and it was necessary to have fresh elections to the council, however, the DMA had planned to delimit the wards of the council and had asked the state election commission in December, 2012, for a time of four months.
The DMA had planned to add one more ward to the earlier 13 wards and at the same time, had a plan to reorganize the 10 wards of Sankhali municipal council (SMC), by sparing its two wards to form a new Arvalem village panachayat.
Speaking to TOI, urban development minister Francis D'Souza had said that the DMA was in the process of deleting two wards from the SMC for the proposed Arvalem village panchayat and rearrange the wards of the SMC to 10.
Besides, he had said that they want to conduct the elections to PMC and SMC on the same day. Some residents of Ponda had challenged the government decision to postpone the PMC election before a court of law and the DMA had assured the court that it may conduct the election by May 5.
But, Ponda celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on May 5 and the election commission sought permission from the court to hold elections on May 12.
Six wards reserved: The director of municipal administration Elvis Gomes said that a total of six wards among the 14 wards have been reserved for OBCs and women candidates.
Ward numbers 2,5,8,11 and 14 are reserved for women and among them ward numbers 8 and 14 would be especially reserved for women from the OBC category. Ward number 4 has been reserved for OBC candidates, Gomes said.
