MARGAO
The process of voting for absentee voters, including senior citizens, over 80 years of age, has kicked off in the South Goa district.
In the constituencies of Nuvem and Curtorim, however, the process will start on Sunday due to a technical issue after an Independent candidate drew the attention of the Returning Officer that the authorities did not notify him of the process.
Sources informed that the Returning Officer for Nuvem and Curtorim assembly constituencies, Ramesh Gaonkar later issued a notice to the Independents contesting the election from the two constituencies, and has fixed the voting schedule from Sunday.
Additional District Collector, Sanjit Rodrigues informed that the process of voting for the absentee voters has commenced from Friday in the constituencies of Navelim and Benaulim.
He pointed out that more than four teams have been constituted in each of the Assembly constituencies to go to the doorsteps of the absentee voters to facilitate them to cast their vote.
“As per the schedule, the process will go on till February 11, but we are confident that the process will be completed before the schedule”, he added.
Categories of absentee voters include senior citizens above 80 years of age, persons with disability, Covid suspects or affected persons.
Sources informed that the absentee voters form a sizeable number, as evident by the fact that around 315 such voters are eligible to cast their vote in Nuvem alone. In another constituency in Salcete, the number of absentee voters is pegged over 500.
As per the guidelines laid down by the Election Commission, representatives of candidates are allowed to accompany the teams to the residences of the absentee voters.
Installation of ballots in EVMs concludes
The process of sealing ballot papers in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was completed in all the 21 assembly constituencies of South Goa on Saturday.
The ballot papers were installed in the EVMs before the machines were sealed in the presence of the representatives of the contesting candidates.
The EVMs, which are in the custody of the respective Returning Officers, were later stored in the strong rooms at the taluka headquarters.
