Panaji: In the petition filed by former CCP corporator Menino Da Cruz in the Supreme Court, seeking quashing of an amendment to the CCP Act 2002, which undermines the role of the State Election Commission (SEC), the SC on Thursday stated that the delimitation exercise will be subject to the outcome of the proceedings in the case.Da Cruz is seeking the setting aside of the amendment published in the official gazette in Feb 2005, which gives powers to the directorate of municipal administration instead of the SEC for ward delimitation and CCP election duties.“The delimitation exercise shall be subject to the outcome of these proceedings,” the SC stated, listing the matter again on April 1.Da Cruz said the amendment takes away powers from the SEC, an independent body under the control and supervision of Goa govt. Govt’s decision enabled last-minute manipulation of ward boundaries to favour a political party, he said, adding that several complaints were made by residents of voter fraud.Assigning delimitation to a govt-controlled body undermines election independence, and the amendment violates the separation of powers by allowing the executive to take over functions meant for independent constitutional bodies.The HC in June last year dismissed Menino’s petition, following which he filed an SLP in the SC.
