Panchayat polls: Goa votes to elect its grassroots leaders

78.70% voting recorded at panchayat polls

Goans came out in large numbers recording an overall voting percentage of 78.70 at the panchayat polls on Wednesday, even as voting started at a very slow pace in the morning hours in some of the 186 panchayats.

The State had recorded 80.33 per cent voting in the 2017 panchayat polls held in 1449 wards.

On Wednesday, voters, especially in rural areas, came out in good numbers to keep a date with democracy in 186 panchayats of the state.

The polling was peaceful and without any untoward incident.

A total number 6,26,496 voters exercised their franchise out of which 2,99,707 were males and 3,26,788 females.

Sattari at 89.30 per cent recorded the highest voting percentage, while Salcete lowest at 68.33 per cent.

The Navelim panchayat of Bicholim taluka recorded maximum voting of 81.45 per cent while the Sarzora panchayat in Salcete taluka registered the lowest percentage of 60.98 per cent.

North Goa: Overall voting percentage 81.45 %

Bardez – 77.51 %

Bicholim – 89.27 %

Pernem – 87.69 %

Sattari -89.30 %

Tiswadi -75.85 %

Ponda - 80.20 %

South Goa: Overall voting percentage 76.13 %

Canacona - 82.84 %

Mormugao – 72.35 %

Salcete - 68.33 %

Sanguem – 84.86 %

Quepem – 82.79 %

Dharbandora – 85.88 %

Dark clouds in the morning at 8 kept voters away from the polling booths, even as voting is expected to pick up in the later part of the day.

In 1,464 wards of 186 panchayats, 5,038 candidates are in fray and 64 have already been elected unopposed. The voting is being held through ballot papers and will be on till 5 pm, the final one hour being dedicated to Covid patients.

Morning sees low voter turnout due to rains

Intermittent showers throughout the day did not deter people from coming out and casting their franchise. However, in few areas, the rain played dampener.

In South Goa, in places like Kalay, Sanvordem and in North Goa such as Divar, St Estevem, Chorao, Mayem people braved heavy showers in the morning hours which resulted in low voter turnout.

Many people skipped voting in the morning because of the rain, said Chorao locals Ashwin Chodankar Avani Chodnekar.

The voting started picking up in the afternoon as the rain intensity started lessening.

TOTAL 70% POLLING FROM 8 AM to 4 PM

Dharbandora : 81.46%

Quepem: 79.00%

Murgaon : 66.17%

Bicholim: 82.44%

Bardez: 72.05%

Sattari: 84.75

Salcete: 64.15%

Young voters have high expectations from winners

If not the moon, give us the stars. Young voters are keeping their expectations high from those who will be declared winners on August 12 and take over the reins of the grassroots bodies.

A first-time voter named Sofiya Khan from Sarvan area of Mayem constituency said her experience of voting was amazing. She opines a good candidate should win, but he or she should work for the welfare of the ward people once in power.

Srushti Haldankar from Chorao said that it was a great feeling to vote for the first time and it gave her a sense of achievement.

She said right people should get elected to run local governing bodies like panchayats.

POLLING STATISTICS FROM 8 AM to 10 AM

Sattari: 21.05%

Sanguem: 22.17%

Dharbandora: 20.85%

Canacona: 22.92%

Salcete: 16.78%

Bicholim: 19.76%

Tiswadi: 17.97%

Quepem: 23.40%

Bardez: 19.02%

KEEPING THEIR DATE WITH DEMOCRACY

Election of Ward 9 in Calangute postponed to tomorrow

The election for Ward No 9 in Calangute will be held again tomorrow instead of today. This decision has been taken after a discrepancy was found between the names and symbols of the candidates. However, this caused a lot of disruption to the voters who came to the polling station.

Six candidates are in the fray from this ward and it has 950 voters.

BICHOLIM

Some of the polling stations in Bicholim taluka witnessed a 'cold' response in the first hour of the polling. Elections are being held for 17 panchayats in the taluka.

Polls are being held for Advalpal, Sal, Menkure-Dhumase, Latambarcem, Mulgaon, Shirgaon, Pilgao, Narve, Van-Maulinguem, Karapur-Sarvan, Mayem-Waingani, Amone, Cudnem, Navelim, Surla, Varege and Pati-Kothambi panchayats in the taluka.

MORMUGAO P'YAT POLL VOTING REPORT UPTO 10 AM

PERNEM P'YAT POLL VOTING REPORT UPTO 10 AM