TEAM HERALD PORVORIM: Cancelling the election of Ward 8 Panch of Socorro Panchayat Sandeep Vazarkar as "null and void", the Administrative Tribunal has declared the petitioner, Rajesh Kavthankar, as elected from the ward. Incidentally, the order comes four years after Vazarkar was declared elected from Ward 8 in the panchayat elections on May 5, 2007. The ward was reserved for Other Backward Class. Vazarkar had polled 138 votes, while Kauthankar secured 119 votes. Addressing reporters in Porvorim, Kauthankar said on the day of scrutiny of nomination on April 15, 2007, he had raised an objection before Bardez returning officer stating that Vazarker did not belong to OBC. “As proof, I had produced letter dated April 15, 2007, issued by Bardez Taluka Bandari Samaj President, in which it was stated that Vazarkar does not belong to the Bhandari community,” he said. “However, the returning officer rejected my objection. After declaration of the results, I filed the objection before the deputy collector, who in turn referred the matter to the scrutiny committee,” he added. “The scrutiny committed in its order dated January 29, 2008, ordered cancellation of the OBC certificate and the deputy collector in his order dated February 15, 2008, revoked the OBC certificate issued in favour of Vazarkar.” “Vazarkar filed a writ petition in the High Court pleading for stay of the order of the scrutiny committee, but in vain,” added Kauthankar. Kauthankar said under Section 9 of the Panchayat Raj Act, a person who is not an OBC member is not qualified to be elected to a seat reserved for OBC. “Since I secured 119 votes, which is highest after Vazarkar, I was declared as elected as panch by the Administrative Tribunal,” said Kauthankar. Panchas Sarvesh Naik, Yeshpal Raikar and Kishor Asnodkar were present for the press conference. http://www.heraldgoa.in/News/Local%20News/Socorro-pancha-s-election-set-aside-for-misrepresenting-his-caste/51142.html
