Panaji, Mar 17 (IANS): The Opposition parties in Goa said on Wednesday that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should not make any budgetary announcements during the upcoming Budget session of the state Assembly in view of the elections to five municipal council seats, which clash with the period of the House session.

In a joint letter to Goa Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar, the Central Election Commissioner and the State Election Commissioner, the Opposition said that Sawant should only be directed to place the annual financial statement and seek a vote of account for the year 2021-22 in view of the code of conduct in place for the municipal polls.

"In our memorandum, we have said that during the election process and especially when the model code of conduct is in force, it is important that the government in power doesn't make any announcements, declare any schemes or give any assurances, which may directly or indirectly influence the people and have an impact on the elections," the letter said.

"In view of the above, the government should not be permitted to make any announcements, declare any schemes or give any assurances for public benefit during the Budget session," it added.

Elections to 11 municipal councils and one municipal corporation were scheduled to be held on March 20. However, the government was forced to postpone elections to five municipal councils in view of a high court ruling (endorsed by the Supreme Court), which faulted the state government for improper reservation of municipal wards for women, STs, SCs and OBCs.

While the dates for the postponed elections have not been announced yet, the Budget session has already been scheduled to be held from March 24, with the Chief Minister likely to table the state Budget on the first day itself.

"As opposition MLAs, we have brought to the notice of the Speaker as well as the Governor that the Directorate of Municipal Administration had declared the ward reservations for the municipal wards of five municipal councils in Goa, namely Margao, Quepem, Mormugao, Sanguem and Mapusa, on Tuesday," Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat told reporters after a meeting of the business advisory committee of the state Assembly.

"The elections to these five municipal councils are likely to be announced any moment and the date of polling is likely to coincide with the schedule of the Budget session. The state Election Commission will also extend the election code, presently in force for the six municipal council elections, till the elections to these five municipal councils are over," Kamat said.