The nominations will be scrutinised on Sunday while the last day for withdrawals is Monday.
The battle for Salcete promises to be interesting with the Goa Vikas Party contesting five seats, two left to Independent MLAs and the rest to Bharatiya Janata Party as part of a loose alliance. The Congress and NCP have denounced the party based elections.
The Goa State Election Commission (SEC), the authorized body under the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution which is overseeing the elections, was left out of the delimitation and the reservation exercise. The SEC has raised the expenditure limit for candidates from the existing Rs 75,000 to Rs 5 lakh per candidate. The expenditure limit for Assembly elections is Rs 20 lakh.
State Election Commission Dr M Modassir, after a meeting of returning officers (deputy collectors) and assistant returning (mamlatdars) officers said that since the elections are being held on party lines, the expenditure limit has been raised. Candidates will be vying for 50 ZP seats, 25 in either district.
The Goa government has redrawn the boundaries of 50 Zilla Panchayat constituencies, carving out at least 10 new constituencies and including villages to ensure uniform number of voters.
The new constituencies are Morjim and Arambol in Pernem, Sirsaim, Colvale and Socorro in Bardez, Corlim in Tiswadi, Karapur-Sarvan in Bicholim, Keri in Satari, Usgao-Ganjem in Ponda, and Barcem in Quepem.
