MAPUSA
A slight drizzle saw a low turnout at several polling booths early morning but with the weather remaining dry, the momentum picked up by mid-morning even as people particularly women came out in large numbers to cast their vote in the panchayat election in Bardez.
The election passed off peacefully with no untoward incident reported from anywhere except for one complaint against a candidate in Parra, which was later found to be untrue.
Although polling was slow in most of the polling stations in other parts of the taluka, brisk polling was witnessed in many polling booths in the coastal belt in villages of Calangute and Candolim panchayats.
In the morning, voting began on a very sedate note in Pirna, Assonora, Tivim, Sirsaim, Aldona, Moira, Ucassaim and other panchayats, but gradually picked up pace as the day progressed.
In absence of ramps, senior citizens faced inconvenience at many polling stations in the taluka. Voters from Sirsaim were put to hardship after polling stations of all the seven wards from the panchayat were housed in one government school.
Many people who went to vote were confused and were found trying to identify their polling booths.
In Parra, a candidate, Sanjana Korgaonkar was allegedly found sitting inside a polling station and trying to influence the voters.
Based on a complaint received from one of the candidates, Diana Rodrigues, a show-cause notice was issued to Sanjana Korgaonkar seeking explanation by the Returning Officer, Sandeep Gawde. “Based on a complaint received from a candidate, we had issued a show-cause notice against Korgaonkar. After investigations we found it was not true,” Gawde said.
In Verla-Canca, two candidates “ Bala Naik and Sagar Lingugkar “ complained against BLO for trying to influence the voters.
Although no official complaint was lodged before the Returning Officer, the two aggrieved candidates verbally complained to the presiding officer concerned.
Incidentally, similar complaints were made against the BLO in the same polling station during the February 4 assembly polls.
“There were complaints against the BLO, as he was signalling the voters and trying to influence them. We need to take strict action and isolate such officials from duty,” said Milton Marques, a former Sarpanch, who is contesting from Verla-Canca.
In coastal villages of Calangute and Candolim, people came out in large numbers to cast their vote. Both local MLA, Michael Lobo who has fielded his panel and former sarpanch, Joseph Sequeira are confident that their panels will emerge victorious.
A total of 1,044 candidates are in the fray in 268 wards in 33 panchayats in Bardez.
Seven candidates “ three each in Salvador-do-Mundo and Reis Magos and one in Socorro “ were already declared elected unopposed in the taluka.
Election to four wards “ Ward 1 in Anjuna-Caisua and Bastora and Wards 8 and 9 in Penha-de-France “ have been postponed on the directions of the High Court, which will now be held on July 2.
The polls will decide the future of some key sarpanchas, Delilah Lobo (Parra), Sapna Mapari (Assonora), Shashikala Govekar (Nerul), Rama Parab (Oxel) and former sarpanchas, Joseph Sequeira (Calangute), Milton Marques (Verla-Canca), Victor D’Souza (Assagao), Sylvester Fernandes (Siolim-Marna) and others.
