Polls for 11 municipalities, CCP on March 20

PANAJI
The Goa State Election Commission on Monday morning announced that the elections for 11 municipal councils and the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) will be held on March 20 and the results will be declared two days later on March 22.

“Voting for eleven municipal councils, the Corporation of the City of Panaji, the by-elections to village panchayats and zilla panchayats where there are vacancies will be held on March 20 between 8 am and 5 pm. The final hour of voting will be reserved for those who are Covid-19 positive and those under isolation,” State Election Commissioner Choka Ram Garg said.

Garg informed that the elections would be conducted on March 20 between 8 am to 5 pm for 11 municipal councils and the CCP.

As the procedure was followed during the recently held Zilla Panchayat elections there will be an exclusive arrangement for voting for the people with Covid-19 infection as they will be allowed to vote between 4 pm and 5 pm.

With the announcement of elections, the election code has been made applicable now and government cannot make any decision that will affect the process during this period. The election commission has appealed to people to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which will be issued soon. 

Unlike the ZP elections, these elections will be held on non-party lines. However many leaders have filed their panel to retain control over the voters in their constituency. 

Meanwhile, the SEC said that filing of nominations will begin on February 25 and end on March 4 from 10 am to 1 pm except on Sundays. “Scrutiny of nominations will be held on March 5 and withdrawal of candidate will be allowed on March 6,” the SEC said

Garg said the Code of Conduct will be imposed only in the areas where elections are held. “Expenditure limit for CCP is Rs 2.5 lakh per candidate, municipal councils Rs 2 lakh per candidate. The total number of voters participating in all elections on March 20 are 3,10,995,” he informed.