PANAJI
The State Election Commissioner, Menino D’Souza, on Saturday announced the detailed schedule for the Zilla Panchayat elections, setting the stage for a crucial grassroots contest across Goa, even as the model code of conduct came into force across all zilla areas with immediate effect.
Polling will be held on December 20, with counting of votes scheduled for December 22.
Elections will be conducted for all 50 ZP constituencies in the State.
According to the schedule, the period for candidates to file their nominates will be between December 1 and 9, from 10 am to 1 pm at designated offices of the respective returning officers.
D’Souza clarified that applications will not be accepted on December 3, a public holiday, and December 7, a Sunday.
Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on December 10 between 10 am and 3 pm, while withdrawals will be permitted on December 11 until 2 pm. The final list of candidates will be published later that afternoon.
Addressing a press conference at the SEC office in Altinho, Panaji, D’Souza said polling will be conducted from 8 am to 5 pm on December 20, while counting will be held from 8 am on December 22.
He confirmed that voting will be carried out using ballot papers, continuing the practice followed in past ZP elections.
The Election Commission has enforced the model code of conduct across all ZP areas with immediate effect.
However, the code will not apply to the jurisdiction of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) and other municipal councils.
To ensure compliance, the Commission has deployed mobile and monitoring teams tasked with overseeing campaign activities and expenditure.
The police department has also been directed to provide additional forces to maintain law and order during the election period.
“We are committed to ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections,” D’Souza said, adding that candidates will be permitted to spend a maximum of Rs 5 lakh on their campaigns.
The announcement formally kicks off the electoral process for Goa’s Zilla Panchayats a crucial barometer in Goa's political landscape ahead of the Assembly elections due in 2027.
Major political parties are yet to finalize their strategies though.
The BJP, which controls the State government, has not announced its candidates. The Congress remains undecided on whether to ally with the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP), while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has declared it will contest independently, already releasing names of candidates for 22 constituencies.
Against the backdrop of fluid politics, the December 20 polls are likely to serve as a barometer of Goa’s shifting political currents, offering early signals ahead of the larger electoral battle in 2027.
