Panaji: Voters came out enthusiastically to exercise their franchise and pick their representatives in the 11-member Taleigao panchayat on Sunday morning with over 4,000 of the 11,000-odd eligible voters having cast their ballot by noon.
The fairly large turnout, officials said, was aided by the fact that people headed straight to the 17 booths after attending church services.
According to statistics released by the State Election Commission, 4,012 of the total 11,988 eligible voters had cast their votes by ballot at the 17 polling booths where the election is being held for seven wards only.
Earlier in four wards -- I, VI, X and XI -- candidates of the panel floated by Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, Taleigao Progressive Development Front, were elected unopposed as they were the only candidates left in the fray for these wards.
The voting process was peaceful without any complaints of either violence or voter intimidation barring in ward II, where AAP leader Cecille Rodrigues brought to the notice of poll officers that voter slips were being distributed with the symbol of the candidate from the Monserrate-backed panel.
Rodrigues, who is backing the joint Opposition panel 'Taleigaokars United' said she clicked pictures and presented the evidence to poll officers in the Camrabhat area.
The contest in ward II is a straight one between Agnelo D'Cunha, a long-time political aide of Monserrate, and Domnic D'Cunha of the Taleigaokars United panel.
