SPRUCING THE ELECTORAL ARENA
By Aires Rodrigues
The State election machinery has to be autonomous and free from political clutches. Currently we have the Chief Electoral officer responsible for conducting the Parliamentary and Assembly elections while the Municipal and Panchayat polls are held by the State Election Commission.
A small state like Goa could have one election authority to conduct all elections in the State but the law would have to be amended for this change. It should have a small permanent staff independent of the government in power. It has to be in control of all election related work like delimitation, reservation of seats and electoral rolls.
Delimitation should not be undertaken at each Panchayat or a municipal election. This makes a mockery of the very purpose of seat rotation and reservation which consequently affects equitable development in the Panchayat or Municipal areas. The delimitation exercise should be carried out every 20 years, by an Act of the Legislature, just like Parliament has passed a similar legislation. This way, last minute chicanerous and dubious 'delimitations' could be avoided and prospective candidates would know their wards well in advance and could work in the right direction instead of encouraging back door entries for new incumbents or for continuation of old corrupt and worn out representatives.
By Aires Rodrigues
The State election machinery has to be autonomous and free from political clutches. Currently we have the Chief Electoral officer responsible for conducting the Parliamentary and Assembly elections while the Municipal and Panchayat polls are held by the State Election Commission.
A small state like Goa could have one election authority to conduct all elections in the State but the law would have to be amended for this change. It should have a small permanent staff independent of the government in power. It has to be in control of all election related work like delimitation, reservation of seats and electoral rolls.
Delimitation should not be undertaken at each Panchayat or a municipal election. This makes a mockery of the very purpose of seat rotation and reservation which consequently affects equitable development in the Panchayat or Municipal areas. The delimitation exercise should be carried out every 20 years, by an Act of the Legislature, just like Parliament has passed a similar legislation. This way, last minute chicanerous and dubious 'delimitations' could be avoided and prospective candidates would know their wards well in advance and could work in the right direction instead of encouraging back door entries for new incumbents or for continuation of old corrupt and worn out representatives.
