At the last Goa Assembly elections, in a total collapse in the administration, we witnessed a blatant defacement of public property across the State. The defacement of public property began months before even the elections were announced. It was a sheer display of political wealth and absolute arrogance by all political parties making Goa a shoddy defaced poster and graffiti State.

 

The Goa Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1988 is a very stringent law, making such defacement of property a cognizable offence. But the authorities, who were required by this law to act firmly, conveniently abdicated their bounden duty. Good governance has never been a feature of the administration, but to have allowed things to get so bad was inexcusable.

 

While the Election Commission officials chose to look the other way, the two District Magistrates also conveniently opted to remain mere spectators while not exercising the powers vested in them in this deliberate breach of law. It was the responsibility of the authorities to crack down with a very heavy hand against these barefaced violators who needed to be punished for all this gross defacement of State property.

 

What is further highly objectionable is that in this highhanded defacement even the roundabouts in our cities and villages were not spared despite these having been erected to facilitate unobstructed view to the circulating traffic. Absolute disregard to the regulation of traffic and safety of commuters was on display. The Election Commission must take concrete steps to ensure that such breach of law never ever repeats.