SANGUEM
A success of 95.75% is an achievement in itself, but when this figure pertains to the voter turnout in one ward of Kalay Panchayat, it is nothing short of remarkable.
The efforts of nearly all voters in Ward 3, which comprises Chanimol and a part of Costi ward of Kalay Panchayat, in exercising their franchise at the panchayats elections on Wednesday have been widely appreciated by people in and around the village.
Two candidates are in the fray and 203 of the 212 voters, most of whom hail from the Dangar community, turned up to cast their ballots, recording an impressive 95.75% turnout.
While one candidate, Balu Rekdo, who has represented the ward in the last two terms, is contesting a third time, the other candidate is Bharat Pingle, a new entrant to politics.
Both candidates worked hard to get most of the voters to visit the polling station on Wednesday.
Speaking to the Goan, Balu Rekdo said most of the voters came out on their own to exercise their right to vote, given the tough contest that the ward has witnessed this time.
“This is the first time that Costi ward has witnessed such a high voting percentage,” admitted Rekdo.
Another local, Adv Amar Naik, said there was so much enthusiasm among voters from Ward 3, that 153 voters had cast their ballots by 11 am and 50 other voters exercised their right to vote a short while later.
The voter turnout was such that 94 of the 100 male voters and 109 of the 112 female voters had taken part in the elections.
Meanwhile, elections for 50 panchayat members in seven panchayats across Sanguem taluka went off peacefully with no untoward incident.
Kongare ward in Bhati Village Panchayat also witnessed a high voting percentage of 94.04%, followed by Shivsorem ward (94.02%) of Rivona Panchayat.
The total voting percentage at the seven panchayats in Sanguem taluka was 84.86 percent. The panchayat wise voting percentage was Uguem (82.17%), Rivona (82.43%), Bhati (89.79%), Calem (84.90%), Curdi Wadem (84.97%), Netorlim (88.14%) and Sanvordem (84.38%).
