PANAJI: The election process for the ensuing Zilla Panchayat (ZP) polls in the State has to be completed before March 24 even as the government has now fixed elections for March 22.
It is learnt that there were attempt by some Cabinet Ministers to postpone the ZP elections in April in view of Carnival and Shigmo festivities across the State. The four-day Carnival floats parade will be held from February 22.But the State Election Commission (SEC) is learnt to have told these Ministers that the ZP election process has to be completed before March 24 as the last ZPs were constituted on March 25, 2015.
It is also learnt that the code of conduct for ZP elections is likely to come into force from February 29 and not February 22. Normally the code of conduct had to come into force when the notification for the ZP elections was issued, the sources said.
The sources in the SEC informed that they had not received the file regarding reservation of ZP constituencies. Currently in the 50 ZP constituencies, as many as 29 constituencies were reserved for women and candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities for 2015 polls.
In North Goa ZP, of the 25 constituencies, 15 were reserved of which nine were for women including three for women belonging to OBC communities, five for OBC candidates and one for ST candidate. Similarly, in South Goa ZP, seven constituencies were reserved for women including two each for women belonging to OBC and ST communities, four for OBC and three for ST candidates. For the upcoming ZP elections the same composition would be maintained, it was informed.