Bantwal : Injustice has been done to women in the process of election to the post of the Bantwal Taluk Panchayat and Vice President! Though the statement may look a bit ambiguous, it is true. The confusion arose as the authorities considered as final, notification pertaining to reservation to the two posts which was issued for public information. The question now is how can justice be done in this case.
The background : As per the circular dated April 16, 2014 issued by SM Zulfiqar Ulla, Joint Secretary of the government and Director of Rural Development and Panchayatraj Department on April 16,2014 the post of the TP President was reserved for backward classes and that of the Vice President to a general category woman candidate.
Accordingly, as per the directive of the DC, the election was held and Yashwanth Deraje and Vilasini were elected to the two posts in the elections held on June 9 in the presence of Mangalore Assistant Commissioner Dr Prashanth.
However, the as per the final notification issued by the Director of the Department on June 18, the post of President goes to a backward class woman candidate and that of Vice President to a general category woman candidate. This makes it evident that injustice has been done.
The Congress which has taken serious cognizance of this issue is planning protest. Aida Suresh, Congress member of Bantwal Taluk Panchayat said there was no question of tolerating injustice. Of the 33 member Bantwal Taluk Panchayat, the BJP is in power with 17 members while the Congress has 16 members.
Notification missing : As the issue came to light, both the notifications which were available on the website of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayatraj are missing. This makes it clear that the department intends to make the first notification itself as final.Even Mangalore AC Dr Prashanth says that as the election process was complete before the announcement of the final notification, the first notification itself would be considered final.
Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim has said that the matter has been brought to the notice of the department concerned and that it has issued another notification making the first notification of April 16 itself as final.
