ELECTION OFFICIALS SHOULD NOT BE POLITICALLY CONTROLLED.

By Aires Rodrigues


Unless elections are free and fair they would be an exercise in futility. The election machinery has to be autonomous and free from the political clutches. Election officials should not be at the mercy of being transferred around by the government in power. Currently these officials being under the administrative control of the ruling politicians which leaves room for pliable officers to be posted especially around election time.

Politicians should not be able to manipulate and dictate terms to the officials whose mandate is to ensure free and fair polls. In the recent Alina induction episode we were witness to the unnecessary targeting of the Chief Electoral Officer Mr. S. Kumaraswamy by Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar. Mr. Kumaraswamy was just doing his job and the Chief Minister should not have attempted to trespass into his domain. The very dignified manner in which the Mr. S. Kumaraswamy firmly stood his ground was commendable. It should be an example for all bureaucrats some of whom are ready to bend when they are not supposed to even bow to the illegal and unlawful orders of the government in power.

CONGRATULATIONS TO A. VERONICA.

From: Silviano Barbosa.

Congratulations Senhor Veronica on the recent wedding of your beautiful & intelligent daughter Aveshah with handsome Clyde.

I saw the beautiful photos on your goa-kranti blogspot a few days back. The description of your extended family is quite impressive. Such nice God-fearing family which has achieved laurels in all horizons including education, sports, doctors, lawyers (WOW).

May God bless you even more. Proud of you! Even saw beautiful Sobitia! (nice Konkani name, apt for a pretty girl).

Keep it up!


..

PARRIKAR SHOULD COME CLEAN ON ALINA'S INDUCTION.

CM SHOULD COME CLEAN ON ALINA’S FAILED INDUCTION


By Aires Rodrigues


By its timely and decisive intervention, the Election Commission of India laid to rest the proposed cabinet induction of Mrs. Alina Saldanha. But the rightly aborted move of Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar has left many vital questions unanswered.

The Chief Minister had initially claimed that he had sought the advice of legal luminaries on the issue. He ought to tell the people of Goa who these legal wizards are. If it is the Advocate General, then he needs to be the first on the chopping board. Since the induction was by the Government we need to know from Mr. Manohar Parrikar as to why the legal opinion of the Law department was not sought before embarking on such a disastrous move.

We also need to know the reason Manohar Parrikar was in such a hurry to induct his party candidate as a Minister. We also need to know whether he is really keen to have Alina as a Minister or was he just seeking to ride the sympathy wave to win the Cortalim seat.

If inducted as a cabinet Minister, a non member of the legislature has to get elected within six months. Post induction, if Alina Saldanha were to loose the elections what was Manohar Parrikar’s contingency plan? Would he vacate his Panaji seat to make room for Alina to enable her carry on the legacy of Matanhy Saldanha?

It would be interesting to know why Chief Minister sought to deviate from his principle of allotting cabinet positions for seasoned party MLA’s rather than first time MLAs who have won on the party ticket. Did Alina Saldanha merit the position on account of any special qualification or governing ability that she would bring to the council of ministers?

Matanhy amongst other things was vehemently against Illegal mining, Corruption, Casinos, Family Raj and the Mopa airport. He stood for Secularism. Chief Minister seems to be deviously and manipulatively steering in the other direction. Will Mr. Manohar Parrikar be kind enough to provide straight answers with no philosophical justifications and clear the room he has left for speculation.