Team Herald
PANJIM: Nomination papers of as many as 327 candidates were found valid and 257 nominations were rejected during scrutiny on Saturday, the State Election Office said.
In all 584 candidates had filed their nominations for 40 seats of Goa Assembly. After scrutiny, 327 nominations were found valid.
The last date to withdraw nominations is Monday, January 31 after which a final picture regarding number of candidates contesting the election would be known.
The nomination papers of all the candidates fielded by national and State parties were found to be valid while, nominations of dummies were rejected by the respective returning officers.
For the first time, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had made arrangements for candidates to file their nominations online.
Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, Cabinet ministers, Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat and many incumbent MLAs are recontesting the election.
Former Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, former PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar, former Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes, former MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, former GFP legislator Vinod Palyekar, former MLA Vijay Pai Khot are some of the prominent independent candidates in the fray.
The longest serving MLA Pratapsingh Rane, Luizinho Faleiro and Pandurang Madkaikar are not contesting the elections. The highest 14 candidates are in Siolim constituency while, 12 candidates are in Cortalim, 11 in Sanquelim, Navelim and Cuncolim and 10 in Mayem. Also 8 candidates each are in 15 Assembly constituencies giving an indication of a multi-cornered battle.
