BICHOLIM
Elections to the 14 wards at Bicholim Municipal Council (BMC) and by-election at Ward 9 of Sakhali Municipal Council (SMC) were conducted peacefully on Saturday.
In both cases, the voter turnout was high at the BMC elections (87.97%) and SMC by-poll (87.67%).
A total of 11,408 voters, comprising 5,588 males and 5,820 females, exercised their franchise at the BMC elections. Sixty-eight candidates are in the fray for the BMC elections.
Meanwhile, 512 voters (243 males and 269 females) voted at the by-poll in Ward 9 of SMC. The seat had fallen vacant following the demise of Ward 9 councillor and deputy SMC chairperson Damodar Ghadi.
The by-poll has witnessed a straight fight between the BJP-backed candidate Dasharath Ajgaonakar and Rajendra Ameshkar from the 'Together for Sakhali' panel headed by former SMC chairperson Dharmesh Saglani.
Both elections at the BMC and SMMC were conducted under the supervision of deputy collector and returning officer, Deepak Vaingankar, who was assisted by Bicholim mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit. The Bicholim police provided security at all polling booths in Bicholim town and in Ward 9 of Sankhali town.
