Sandesh Prabhudesai
14 July 1999
Goans are slowly getting used to the government which cannot takepolicy decisions. Earlier it was the four-month long President’s rule and now it isthe longest spell of three months till the Lok Sabha elections to get over, thanks to theelection commission’s code of conduct.
In addition, the political instability continues even in the third termof the Assembly, since 1990, not knowing the fate of policy decisions taken by the formergovernments. In fact, several policy decisions have been changed continuously in last nineyears, which witnessed 11 chief ministers.
Luizinho Faleiro’s Congress government, which came to power barelyone month ago while also electing the new Assembly after a brief spell of President’srule, has been made ‘powerless’ once again at least till October, as no policydecisions are allowed to be taken during this time.
Though Goa is electing both its MPs in the first phase of pollsscheduled on 4 September, the newly elected government would be prohibited from making anypromises or financial disbursement till the election process gets over on 20 October. Itmeans the government would be handicapped once again for 99 days.
The sword of instability has been hanging over Faleiro’s head fromthe day he was sworn in on 9 June as he restricted his cabinet to only six while at leasteight to nine disgruntled party legislators have been threatening to topple him if thecabinet is not expanded. Goa had brought Congress back to power but by electing only 21 inthe 40-member House.
The fluid situation has obviously kept Faleiro on his toes to make hisgovernment survive, for which he has already admitted both the legislators of the UnitedGoans Democratic Party into Congress. Wooing other non-BJP regional party members to joinhis party is still on, which even includes former union minister Ramakant Khalap, alongwith his other three elected colleagues.
Engrossed fully in damage control methods, Faleiro has been unable totake any major policy decision except implementing UGC scales for college teachersinvolving additional burden of Rs 14 crore and disbursing subsidy of over Rs one crore tothe trawler owners. The only other major decision is to opt for a three-tier panchayatisystem, for which the ongoing Assembly needs to amend the act.
But whether the government can make promises on the floor of the Housein violation of the code of conduct during the month-long budget session is also the issuebeing presently debated among the bureaucrats and election authorities.
B S Subanna, the law and legislative secretary, feels the House issupreme and no authority can restrict its rights to debate upon various issues and seekingassurances from the government even regarding developmental works like roads, bridges ordrinking water facilities. The EC has put a total ban on it.
Kewal Sharma, the chief electoral officer, however is planning to senda letter to the government to follow the code of conduct while giving assurances in theHouse. "There is no harm if announcements are made regarding what is being budgetedfor. But new plans definitely cannot be spelt out", he says. He however also plans toseek opinion of the election commission on the issue.
