Panaji, March 12 (TIWN) The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a recent order of the Bombay High Court which had postponed elections to five municipal councils in Goa over irregularities in reservation of constituencies for Scheduled Tribes and women.

Speaking to reporters following the apex court on Friday, advocate Carlos Ferreira, who heads the state Congress legal cell, said that the SC had also faulted the Goa government for appointing a serving state Law Secretary as a State Election Commissioner (SEC) and had directed other states to ensure that the SEC, should not hold dual responsibilities. The Court has also said that elections to the five municipal councils, which were originally scheduled to be held on March 20, should now be completed by April 30.  "The SC using this judgement has passed unique directions under Article 142 of the Constitution, directing that the Law Secretary who is holding charge as SEC (in Goa) be removed forthwith and directed that if SECs are holding dual charge in other states, should be removed (from their posts) forthwith," Ferreira said.