CANACONA
Officials in Canacona taluka made yet another effort to persuade voters Khalshi, Chiplem Tirvonn, Badegal and Kharegal to vote in elections to the Poinguinim panchayat on Wednesday.
As many as 377 voters of these areas from Ward 1, which also includes Marlim and Tirval, have resolved not to vote in protest against the continuous reservation of Ward 1 to one single ST community for three successive terms.
Mamlatdar and Canacona Returning Officer Manoj Korgaonkar along with Deputy Collector (Canacona) Ramesh Gaonkar visited the voters of Khalshi, Chiplem, Tirvonn, Badegal and Kharegal to persuade them to vote on Wednesday.
Stating that time had not permitted them to take corrective measures regarding the Ward 1 already reserved for the ST community, the two officials assured not to repeat the ST reservation in the next elections. They requested the locals to come out and vote en masse as a means to express their protest.
According to sources, the locals eventually agreed to come out and vote in protest in the elections on Wednesday.
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300 staff on poll duty in Canacona
CANACONA:
As many as 300 staff on election duty and several police teams will help conduct elections in a free and fair manner to elect 56 panch members from 7 panchayats in Canacona taluka.
The 169 candidates are eyeing 56 of the 59 wards located in Khola (30), Agonda (20), Shristhal (26), Gaondongrim (20), Khotigao (20), Poinguinim (24) and Loliem-Polem.
Of the 28,659 voters, 27,244 will exercise their franchise as three panchas in Ward 5 (Shristhal), Ward 5 (Gaondongrem) and Ward 4 (Poinguinim) have already been elected unopposed.
Earlier in the day, election material was handed over to the respective polling staff at each of the 56 polling stations, while ballot boxes were sent after lunch. The election staff was transported to their respective booths on Tuesday evening.
