the goan I network
MAPUSA
The seven-member Revora Panchayat in the interiors has clocked the highest voting percentage at 90.28 percent, while the lowest was in the 11-member Aldona Panchayat at 73.11 percent.
Incidentally, the highest voting percentage of 93.21 was recorded in Ward 1 of Revora, while the lowest of 54.98 was again in Ward 1 of Reis Magos Panchayat.
The voting statistics reveal that people from smaller panchayats have come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise than their bigger counterparts.
After Revora, maximum voting percentage was clocked by Oxel (88.88), Pirna (88.57), Camurlim (86.37) and Arpora-Nagao (85.76), all seven-member panchayats, and Nadora (86.14), which is a five-member panchayat.
Interestingly, the voting percentage in the two coastal panchayats of Calangute and Candolim was 79.27 and 77.24 percent respectively, both of which are 11-member panchayats.
The trend in other 11-member panchayats such as Penha-de-Franca (78.04), Reis-Magos (77.99), Socorro (75.43), Tivim (75.18) and Anjuna (82.15) was much lower compared to smaller ones.
It may be noted that elections in two wards in Penha-de-Franca and one ward in Anjuna has been postponed, while there were no elections in three wards in Reis-Magos and one ward in Socorro as the candidates were declared elected unopposed.
According to panchayat activist, Soter D’Souza, the elite class of people residing in urban type of panchayats was a disillusioned lot and wouldn’t bother to come out to vote, while in the interiors people tend to vote more on caste lines and also these people would interact more often with members of the panchayat.
“The migrant population who stay in gated communities in urban areas, be it panchayats or municipalities, will not participate in local body election, but will come out to vote for the Lok Sabha or the State assembly elections,” D’Souza said.
“Secondly, the elite class people who live in urban areas do not find the candidates fit enough to vote and therefore do not come out to vote,” he added.
