Govt to tweak law to allow MLAs, ZP members to attend gram sabhas | Goa News

Panaji: The state cabinet on Monday granted approval to amend the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, to allow the representatives of the legislative assembly and zilla panchayat to attend the gram sabhas within their constituencies and to take part in their deliberations, with the right to vote only if they are members of the that gram sabha.The bill will enable the village panchayat to hold four ordinary meetings in a month by reducing the time period of service of meeting notice.The bill will remove the ambiguity due to the existence of the word “also”, which gives an interpretation that besides the panchayat secretary there exists another authority to exercise powers. The present amendment seeks to give a clear interpretation that the panchayat secretary is the sole authority to exercise powers in respect of the matters mentioned in the act.The bill further seeks to amend Section 66 of the said act so as to give protection to the buildings which are reflected in the record of rights and the first promulgated survey plan prepared under the provisions of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968 (9 of 1969), against demolition.The Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 was enacted in July 1994 and came into force from July 13, 1994. Since its enactment, the Act underwent many amendments.The cabinet said that the act requires further amendment so as to incorporate certain changes which are necessary for the effective implementation of the act.On the right of the MLA and the ZP member to associate in the meetings of the gram sabha, the cabinet said, “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the member of the legislative assembly of the State and member of the zilla panchayat, representing the constituency within which a panchayat area is encompassed, either wholly or partly, shall have the right to associate in the meetings of the gram sabha of the concerned Panchayat and take part in the proceedings of the meetings but shall have no right to vote unless their names for the time being are entered as electors in the electoral roll of such Panchayat.”The cabinet said that the notice of an ordinary meeting of the gram sabha will be given at least 7 days before the date of such meeting and, in case of an extraordinary meeting, at least four days before the date of such meeting, by the sarpanch to the MLA and ZP member by clearly specifying the date, hour and place at which such meeting is to be held and the business to be transacted.