PANAJI
The panchayat polls in the State passed off peacefully recording an overall percentage of 78.70 with North Goa recording 81.45% and South Goa 76.13%. The percentage was slightly less than the percentage achieved in the 2017 panchayat polls which had recorded 80.33%.
In all 1464 of the total 1528 wards went to the polls in 186 panchayats across the State. Already 64 candidates have been declared elected unopposed.
The female voters outnumbered their male counterparts in both the districts as 1,61,121 female voters cast their votes as opposed to 1,52,375 male voters in North Goa. Also in the South, 1,65,667 females came out to vote as against 1,47,332 males. Overall 3,26,788 females voted along with 2,99,707 males to take the total amount of votes to 6,26,496 of the eligible 7,96,070 votes thereby giving. A single vote of a third gender was recorded in Tiswadi taluka in the North.
Among the talukas, Sattari recorded the highest percentage at 89.30% while Salcete the lowest at 68.33%. Closely following Sattari was Bicholim (89.27) followed by Pernem (87.69), Dharbandora (85.88), Sanguem (84.86), Canacona (82.84), Quepem (82.79), Ponda (80.20), Bardez (77.51), Tiswadi (75.85) and Mormugao (72.35).
Brijesh Manerkar, secretary to State Election Commissioner, said the highest voting has taken place in Navelim panchayat of Bicholim taluka which is 93.33%, while the lowest percentage was recorded in Sarzora panchayat of Salcete taluka at 60%.
Manerkar said the entire polling process was by and large peaceful with no untoward incident reported.
“In spite of the polls being held in the rains, we have been able to achieve a percentage of 78.70 in the State,” he stated.
On the election being postponed in ward 9 of Calangute constituency, Manerkar said a notification has been issued for fresh election which will be held tomorrow i.e. August 11 from 8 am to 5 pm.
“Necessary orders for prohibition of sale of liquor have been issued and as per Section A of Panchayat Raj Act, all the voters will be entitled to a paid holiday,” he stated. Section 144 has also been imposed in the areas coming under the jurisdiction of the ward.
To a question on facilities for blind voters, Manerkar informed that a request was made for the same and assured that the facilities would be provided in the upcoming elections, as it requires a certain amount of time.
A total of 64 candidates have already been elected unopposed from different village panchayats, of which 41 are from North Goa and 23 from South Goa.
North Goa district has 97 panchayats with 2,667 candidates in the fray, while 2,371 are contesting polls for 89 panchayats in South Goa.
