MARGAO
Perhaps for the first time in recent years, Salcete taluka will have two counting centres -- one of the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative complex and the other at the Manohar Parrikar Indoor stadium, Navelim, for counting of votes cast in the panchayat polls for the 33 village panchayats.
While the ballots cast in 22 panchayats falling under the jurisdiction of Returning Officers, Laxmikant Desai and Dhiren Benaulikar will be counted at the Matanhy Saldanha complex, counting of votes of the 11 Panchayats coming under the jurisdiction of Returning Officer Pravin Gawas will be counted at the Navelim Indoor stadium.
Officials and staff of the Salcete Mamlatdar conducting the panchayat election process has conceded that this is perhaps the first time in recent years that ballots will be taken up for counting at two different counting centres.
When contacted, Returning Officer Pravin Gawas said it was decided to take up counting of ballots of the 11 panchayat bodies of Ambelim, Assolna, Sarzora, Rachol, Guirdolim, Paroda, Sao Jose de Area, Velim, Curtorim, Chandor and Macazana at the Manohar Parrikar indoor stadium, Navelim because of paucity of space at the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative complex.
“It was found that counting of votes of all the 33 Panchayats from Salcete at the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative complex will not be possible at one place. Hence, it was decided to take up counting of ballots of the 11 panchayat bodies at the Indoor stadium, Navelim”, he added.
Meanwhile, the Returning Officers for the remaining 22 Panchayat bodies, Laximikant Desai and Dhiren Beaulikar have put in place arrangements for the counting of ballot on the ground floor of the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative complex.
