Team Herald
PANJIM: A total of 64 candidates have been declared elected unopposed for the ensuing panchayat elections, scheduled on August 10. Also, 5,038 candidates will contest the election in 1,464 wards across 186 village panchayats.
On Wednesday, as many as 621 candidates withdrew from the election fray.
Bardez taluka saw a maximum of 13 candidates getting elected unopposed, followed by Salcete and Sattari taluka, where 11 each were declared elected unopposed.
The other candidates elected unopposed were from Bicholim (9), four each in Quepem, Pernem and Tiswadi while three in Canacona and two in Sanguem.
One candidate each from Ponda, Dharbandora and Mormugao also got elected unopposed.
After the withdrawal of nominations, the Bardez taluka with 33 village panchayats is left with a maximum of 995 candidates followed by 863 in Salcete, which also consists of 33 village panchayats.
There are 601 contesting candidates in Ponda, 583 candidates in Tiswadi, 450 in Pernem, 380 in Bicholim, 259 in Sattari and 240 in Quepem taluka.
There are 219 candidates in Mormugao, 169 in Canacona, 156 in Sanguem and 123 in Dharbandora.
A maximum of 134 candidates withdrew from the elections in Bardez taluka.
After the end of the withdrawal time, the returning officers allotted symbols to all the contesting candidates since panchayat elections are not fought on party lines.
The counting of votes will take place on August 12.
