Panaji (Goa): Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday admitted that the frequent petitions filed in the High Court have disturbed the entire panchayat election process.

“The Supreme Court has time and again repeated its judgment issued in past, that once the election process starts, interventions cannot be entertained or done. Except for election commission and natural calamities, there should be no other interventions,” Parrikar told reporters.

He was speaking referring to the four petitions filed before High Court challenging reservation and delimitation of wards that led to postponement of polls in 15 wards of ten panchayats. The elections for rest of 1442 wards are scheduled on June 11.

“Supreme Court has passed the order with some reason. The election process gets disturb…once the process starts there are several dispute but those should never be considered during the process is on,” he added.

“We had argued on the same ground before the High Court, who went ahead and stayed the elections,” Chief Minister added.

As many as four petitions were filed on the reservation and delimitation exercise carried out by the government in their respective wards. The petitions were filed by poll aspirants from Sancoale, Betki-Khandola, Penha-de-Franca and Curti-Khandepar.

High Court has now asked the government to hold the elections in 15 wards of ten panchayats on or before July 2.

Further, Parrikar said that government will carry out necessary amendment to the Panchayat Raj Act to hand over the process of delimitation and reservation of wards to State Election Commission (SEC) in future.

Team TNV