MARGAO
By-election for the Benaulim Zilla Panchayat seat, seen more as a battle for prestige amongst local players, witnessed a 52.12 per cent turnout of voters on Sunday, who have sealed the fate of the four candidates.
Counting of votes will be taken up on Monday morning and the results are expected before noon.
In terms of voters, around 10,492 voters have exercised their franchise, with female voters leading their male counterparts in most of the polling booths. Of the total 10,492 votes polled on Sunday, females outnumbered their male counterparts, around 5,961 females and 4,531 males to be precise.
A break-up of the voting village-wise shows that while Benaulim village alone has seen close to 50 per cent of the total polling, the remaining villages of Varca, Orlim, Cavelossim and Carmona has together accounted for the balance 50 per cent of the votes.
Amongst the four candidates in the fray, Aam Aadmi Party candidate Joseph Pimenta hails from Orlim village, while Congress-turned-Independent Royla, besides Independent Grrayfans Fernandes hail from Benaulim. Independent Frank Fernandes is a resident of Varca village.
Voting started on a slow note in the morning, but picked up momentum after the Sunday masses. Voting passed off peacefully with no major complaints received from the contesting candidates, barring a minor incident wherein objection was taken to the presence of AAP leader Cecille Rodrigues near a polling booth at Varca and Independent candidate Royla complaining that AAP flags were still visible at the Benaulim office located close to a polling booth.
Almost all the candidates expressed their confidence that people of Benaulim have come out in large numbers in support of their candidature.
