Panaji (Goa): In a fresh direction, the Bombay High Court at Goa has asked the State government to hold the elections of 15 de-reserved wards of 11 panchayats on or before July 2.

The High Court had on May 24 stayed the reservation and delimitation of a few wards for the June 11 panchayat elections. The stay was granted on the plea that the rotation policy of reservation of wards was not followed and it was made without adhering to criteria. However, the order was further stayed by the Supreme Court on May 30.

Following the stay, the State Election Commission (SEC) on May 31 approached the High Court seeking further directions.

The Division Bench this afternoon passed the order directing SEC and Directorate of Panchayat to hold the elections of the disputed wards on or before July 2. However, the Court decline to intervene in the petition from ward Number 9 of Curti-Khandepar panchayat, where one Navid Tahashildar is elected unopposed.

Total four petitions were filed by poll aspirants- Ramakant Borkar from Sancoale, Riddesh Sukhtankar and Pratap Haldankar from Betki-Khandola, Vijayak Samant and Umesh Phadte from Penha de Franca and Venacio R Gonsalves and Naveed Noor Ahmad from Curti-Khandepar.

The elections in 186 panchayats covering 1452 wards will be held on June 11 and counting on June 13

Team TNV