Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (MS)

Panaji, Mar 16: Four former councillors and two former chairpersons are not sure of contesting the upcoming elections due to the verdict given by the high court and further upheld by the supreme court on reservation and delimitation of wards in five municipalities.

At present, there are six wards reserved for women in Mapusa as per the 33% reservation policy. However, according to the order of the High Court passed on March 1, they should be seven and not six as reserved by the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA).

Prabhakar Vernekar and Michael Carrasco, former chairpersons had filed a petition in the high court saying that their wards and two other wards in Mapusa Municipal Council are reserved for two continuous terms, thereby preventing them from getting justice.

According to the petition raised by both former chairpersons, ward numbers seven, nine, 12 and 17 were under the General category in 2015 and are in the same category this year also.

The ruling of SC is going to cause inconvenience to former chairpersons Sandeep Falari of ward 12 and Ryan Braganza of ward 9. In addition, the future of former councillors Rajsingh Rane of ward 17 and Franky Carvalho of ward 7 is uncertain.