IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY AT GOA WRIT PETITIONS NO. 160, 161, 162, 163, 164 AND 165 OF 2000. WRIT PETITION NO. 160 OF 2000. 1. Sanguem Municipal Council, through its Dy. Chairperson, Shri John D’Costa, Sanguem, Goa. 2. Shri Shaikh Ashraf Ali, Councillor, Sanguem Municipal Council, Ward No.6, resident of Sanguem, Goa. 3. Shri Caitan Martin Fernandes, resident of House No.5, Ward No.6, Sanguem, Goa. 4. All Goa Municipal Councillor’s Forum, a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act through its President/ Secretary, having office at Ponda, Goa. ... Petitioners. VERSUS 1. State of Goa, through its Chief Secretary, having office at Secretariat, Panaji, Goa. 2. State Election Commissioner, having office at Junta House, Panaji, Goa. ... Respondents. Mr. M.S. Sonak, Advocate for the Petitioners. Mr. A.N.S. Nadkarni, Advocate General with Ms. S. Sabnis, Addl. Government Advocate for the Respondent No.1. Mr. C.A. Coutinho, Advocate for the Respondent No.2 (absent). WRIT PETITION NO. 161 OF 2000 1. Curchorem -Cacora Municipal Council, through its Chairperson Mrs. Maria V. D’Costa, Curchorem, Goa. -- 2 -- 2. Shri Baburao F. Dessai, Councillor, Curchorem- Cacora Municipal Council, Ward No.6, r/o Curchorem, Goa. 3. Shri Ramnath Shyam Kakodkar, r/o House No.651, Ward No.6, Bansai, Curchorem, Goa. 4. All Goa Municipal Councillor’s Forum, a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, through its President/ Secretary, having office at Ponda, Goa. ... Petitioners. VERSUS 1. State of Goa, through its Chief Secretary, having office at Secretariat, Panaji, Goa. 2. State Election Commissioner, having office at Junta House, Panaji, Goa. ... Respondents. Mr. M.S. Sonak, Advocate for the Petitioners. Mr. A.N.S. Nadkarni, Advocate General with Mr. P.A. Kamat, Government Advocate for the Respondent No.1. Mr. C.A. Coutinho, Advocate for the Respondent No.2 (Absent). WRIT PETITION NO. 162 OF 2000. 1. Quepem Municipal Council, through its Chairperson, Quepem, Goa. 2. Shri Raul Pereira, Councillor, Quepem Municipal Council, r/o Quepem, Goa. 3. Shri Santan Martins, r/o Ward No.3 Borimoll, Quepem, Goa. 4. All Goa Municipal Councillor’s Forum, a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act through its President/ Secretary, having office at Ponda, Goa. ... Petitioners. -- 3 -- VERSUS 1. State of Goa, through its Chief Secretary, having office at Secretariat, Panaji, Goa. 2. State Election Commissioner, having office at Junta House, Panaji, Goa. ... Respondents. Mr. M.S. Sonak, Advocate for the Petitioners. Mr. A.N.S. Nadkarni, Advocate General with Mr. H. D. Naik. Addl. Govt. Advocate for the Respondent No.1. Mr. C.A. Coutinho, Advocate for the Respondent No.2 (Absent). WRIT PETITION NO. 163 OF 2000 1. Mormugao Municipal Council, through its Chairperson, Smt. Madelina C. Pereira, Mormugao, Goa. 2. Shri Rama Honnavarkar, Councillor, Mormugao Municipal Council, Ward No.3, r/o Mormugao, Goa. 3. Shri Rodrigues John Anthony Cosme, r/o House No.444, Ward No.8, Part No.24, Sr. No.652, Mormugao, Goa. 4. All Goa Municipal Councillor’s Forum, a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, through its President/Secretary, having office at Ponda, Goa. ... Petitioners. VERSUS 1. State of Goa, through its Chief Secretary, having office at Secretariat, Panaji, Goa. 2. State Election Commissioner, having office at Junta House, Panaji, Goa. ... Respondents. -- 4 -- Mr. M.S. Sonak, Advocate for the Petitioners. Mr. A.N.S. Nadkarni, Advocate General with Mr. H.D. Naik, Addl. Government Advocate for the Respondent No.1. Mr. C.A. Coutinho, Advocate for the Respondent No.2 (Absent). WRIT PETITION NO. 164 OF 2000 1. Margao Municipal Council through its Chairperson, Shri Ghanashyam Shirodkar, Margao, Goa. 2. Shri Sadanand Naik, Councillor, Margao Municipal Council, Ward No.3, r/o Margao, Goa. 3. Shri Nilesh Kashinath Joshi, r/o House No.239, Ward No.3, Housing Board, Gogal, Margao, Goa. 4. All Goa Municipal Councillor’s Forum, a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, through its President/Secretary, having office at Ponda, Goa. ... Petitioners. VERSUS 1. State of Goa, through its Chief Secretary, having office at Secretariat, Panaji, Goa. 2. State Election Commissioner, having office at Junta House, Panaji, Goa. ... Respondents. Mr. M.S. Sonak, Advocate for the Petitioners. Mr. A.N.S. Nadkarni, Advocate General with Ms. W. Coutinho, Government Advocate for the Respondent No.1. Mr. C.A. Coutinho, Advocate for the Respondent No.2 (Absent). WRIT PETITION NO. 165 OF 2000 1. Cuncolim Municipal Council, -- 5 -- through its Chairperson, Shri Maducora B. Dessai, Cuncolim, Goa. 2. Shri Ramesh V. Dessai, Councillor, Cuncolim Municipal Council, Ward No.8, r/o Cuncolim, Goa. 3. Shri Maruti D. Dessai, r/o House No.1617, Ward No.4, Cuncolim, Goa. 4. All Goa Municipal Councillor’s Forum, a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, through its President/ Secretary, having office at Ponda, Goa. ... Petitioners. VERSUS 1. State of Goa, through its Chief Secretary, having office at Secretariat, Panaji, Goa. 2. State Election Commissioner, having office at Junta House, Panaji, Goa. ... Respondents. Mr. M.S. Sonak, Advocate for the Petitioners. Mr. A.N.S. Nadkarni, Advocate General with Ms. W. Coutinho, Government Advocate for the Respondent No.1. Mr. C.A. Coutinho, Advocate for the Respondent No.2 (Absent). CORAM: CORAM: CORAM: V.G. PALSHIKAR & V.G. PALSHIKAR & V.G. PALSHIKAR & P.V. P.V. P.V. HARDAS, JJ. HARDAS, JJ. HARDAS, JJ. DATE: 8TH OCTOBER, 2003. ORAL JUDGMENT: (PER PALSHIKAR, J.) (PER PALSHIKAR, J.) (PER PALSHIKAR, J.) All these petitions are liable to be disposed -- 6 -- of as infructuous by efflux of time. They are accordingly so disposed of. It is however clarified, as has been done in the interim order, that the opinion expressed therein, at the time of grant of interim relief, was prima facie opinion and the contentions raised shall remain open for all the sides to contest, if and when necessary. Petitions are accordingly disposed of. V.G. V.G. V.G. PALSHIKAR, J. PALSHIKAR, J. PALSHIKAR, J. P.V. P.V. P.V. HARDAS, J. HARDAS, J. HARDAS, J. sl.