the goan I network
PANAJI
The State holds its breath as the fate of more than 250 candidates will be revealed in the early hours of Saturday morning with counting beginning at 8 am.
The process scheduled to begin at around 7 am with the opening of the strongrooms containing the electronic voting machines as well as the strongroom where all the postal ballot boxes are kept.
All eyes will be on crucial constituencies like that of Mandrem, Mapusa, Pernem as well as closely fought ones like Porvorim, Saligao, Maem and others.
The counting for the 40 constituencies in the State will be held at two locations with the 19 constituencies of North Goa to be taken up at Bal Bhavan at Campal in Panaji while 21 constituencies in South Goa are to be counted at Borda in Margao.
The 2017 election has promised to go down to the wire with experts, common men as well as pundits unwilling to call the election knowing well that it could be anybody’s game. Often, more than numbers, it is a party’s ability to stitch a post poll alliance almost as crucial to being able to form the government as winning the numbers.
The high turnout has led to people doubting the ability of the Bharatiya Janata Party to come back to power and could upset several calculations and equations.
Counting for the first constituencies will begin by 8 am with postal ballots the first to be counted in the respective constituencies.
Crucially, among the first constituencies to be taken up for counting is Chief Minister’s Mandrem constituency which, observers, say would set the tone for the rest of the counting to be taken up.
According to the list announced by the Collector, the constituencies of Mandrem, Siolim, Mapusa, Calangute, Aldona, Taleigao, Poriem, San André, Bicholim and Mayem will be taken up first. On completion of the first constituency in that counting hall the other constituencies will be taken up with Pernem, Saligao, Porvorim, Panjim, Santa Cruz, Valpoi, Cumbarjua, Tivim and Sanquelim being part of the second round.
Elaborate arrangements have been made for counting with 600 staff to be involved including staff of the returning officers, observers and other designated staff, while while 400 security personnel will be available.
District authorities have imposed conditions of section 144 of the Code of Civil Procedure to help maintain law and order around the counting centres in North and South. The road leading from Bal Bhavan to the Fire Services Station will be closed for
the public.
Trends are expected to crystallise by 11 am on Saturday and possibly even earlier as counting through the electronic voting machines barely takes time.
Mauritius EC to
witness counting
Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius, Mohammad Irfan Abdool Rahman arrives in Goa to witness counting process in Goa
Leads a two-member delegation to Goa
Has been invited by Chief Election Commissioner Dr Nasim Zaidi under International Election Visitor Programme
Rahman visits CEO office at Altinho, interacts with Chief Electoral Officer Kunal, IAS
