Goa, Nov. 29 -- The High Court on Thursday dismissed two writ petitions clearing the way for the December 20 Zilla Panchayat elections. The State Election Commission is expected to announce the election schedule shortly. However, conducting timely elections to Zilla Panchayats and Village Panchayats is as important as equipping them with substantive powers and functions to allow grassroot democracy to blossom and empower the people to determine their own destiny. The Panchayats were constituted in Goa post the 73rd Amendment, under the new Goa Panchayati Raj Act (GPRA) in 1994. Although a two tier structure was established no elections or powers were devolved to the panchayats, although 29 powers were designated in the Act. It was only in...