Polling booths to remain open from 10 am to 5 pm on both days
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Thursday announced a special campaign for registering new voters on Saturday, February 23 and Sunday, February 24. Those eligible to vote who haven't yet made a voter's ID, i.e. those who have completed 18 years of age as of January 1, 2019 can go to their respective polling booths and fill in the forms for their voter's ID. They will be required to take with them a photograph as well as documents specified by the election commission, an official from the office of the CEO told 'The Goan' on Thursday.
Polling booths will be open from 10 am to 5 pm on both these days, in an effort to encourage citizens to participate in the democratic process. Those unable to make it to on these days can also register at their respective mamlatdar offices at the earliest. The election body will also be undertaking a special drive to encourage persons with physical disabilities to register as voters and come out and vote, said the official.
An all-party meeting had been called on Thursday, and all principle political parties in the state had been invited, however, only representatives of two parties i.e. Goa Forward Party (GFP), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) showed up for the meeting.
Party vice-president Durgadas Kamat represented the GFP, while BJP leader Pundalik Raut Dessai represented the BJP.
Even though the Congress, NCP, MGP and Communist Party and others had been called for the meeting, they did not send representatives, neither did they give a reason for not attending, said a source from the office of the CEO.
Meanwhile, those present were told to appoint Booth Level Agents by the first week of March. They were also told to create awareness amongst voters to check if they were on the rolls or if their names had been accidentally deleted, and to register as voters if not yet registered.
Awareness will also be created amongst voters about how to use the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the voter-verified paper audit trails (VVPATs) with the aim to clear any doubts in the minds of voters that this system of voting can be misused, said the official.
