MAPUSA
The fate of four former chairpersons and three ex-vice-chairpersons of Mapusa will be known on Monday when counting of votes of all the wards will be taken up at one go at the Peddem Sports Complex, Mapusa.
The counting process begins at 8 am and most results are expected to be out by noon.
A total of 81 candidates including 40 Independents are seeking to get elected as councilors in Mapusa Municipal Council.
While BJP-backed panel Mapusa Development Front has fielded candidates in all 20 wards, opposition-backed Mhapshekarancho Ekvott has fielded 16 candidates and supports some Independents in other wards.
The Shree Bodgeshwar Development Front has also fielded candidates in five wards.
The fortune of four former chairpersons, Sudhir Kandolkar (ward 19), Rupa Bhakta (ward 19), Michael Carrasco (ward 4) and Prabhakar Vernekar (ward 2) and three former-vice-chairpersons, Marlene De’Souza (ward 8), Vijeyta Naik (ward 15) and Prakash Bhivshet (ward 20) will be known within hours.
The destiny of former councilors, Anand Bhaidkar (ward 1), Alpha Bhaidkar (ward 2), Chandrashekar Benkar (ward 2), Sushant Harmalkar (ward 4), Swapnil Shirodkar (ward 15), Shubangi Vaigankar (ward 17) and Manisha Kavlekar (18) will also be decided before noon.
Election authorities have made elaborate arrangements for counting of votes at the boxing hall at the Peddem Sports Complex, Mapusa.
20 tables have been arranged in the counting hall. Counting of all the wards will be taken simultaneously.
“We will take up counting of all the wards together. We have made proper arrangements so that all the candidates and their counting agents can be accommodated in the hall. We expect to complete the counting within two or three rounds,” said Mamu Hage (IAS), Returning Officer for civic election in Mapusa.
All the ballot boxes were shifted to a strong room at the sports complex boxing hall in Peddem after the election process ended on April 23.
Mapusa Police have been maintaining a tight security around the boxing hall where the ballot boxes have been stored in a sealed strong room.
VICTORY RALLY NOT ALLOWED
MAPUSA: Owing to the grim Covid situation in the State, the winning candidates have been banned from holding victory processions near the counting venue or near it.
A gathering of more than five persons is also not allowed near the counting hall owing to the enforcement of Section 144.
“We have reiterated that the candidates and all their supporters and party members cannot take a victory procession after the results are announced inside the counting venue or near it. Secondly, gathering of five or more people is also not allowed due to the section 144 of the CrPC,” said Mamu Hage (IAS), Returning Officer for Mapusa.
