PANJIM: The election to the Taleigao Panchayat saw nearly 71 percent (70.90 % accurately) voters exercising their franchise on Sunday. The turnout was however less than the total 76.40 percent voting recorded in the previous election in 2014.
Details shared by the Goa State Election Commission revealed that out of total 16,209 voters, 7,845 were males and 8,364 were females. A total of 22 Polling booths were setup for the polling. The highest voting 83.67 percent was recorded in ward number 7 and the lowest 45.57 percent was in ward number 6.
A total of 29 candidates across 11 wards were in the fray out of whom Agnelo Santana Cirilo Da Cunha of Atanasio Monserrate-backed panel is elected unopposed from Ward number 3. Of the total wards, five were reserved for the General category, four for Women candidates, and one each for ST and OBC.
Although the BJP had officially not fielded its candidates, some of its karyakartas were pitted against Monserrate-backed panel and other Independent candidates. The counting of the ballot papers will begin at 8 am at the counting centre – Bal Bhavan on Monday.
After casting his vote, Monserrate told reporters that he was optimistic of wining all the wards. He was seen moving in the wards of the constituency, represented by his wife Jennifer.
His panel is fielded for the fourth term with eight new faces compared to the previous panel. In the previous two elections to the panchayat, Monserrate’s panel maintained majority with 11-0 and 10-1 win.
Similarly, by-election to Ward VI of Panchayat Ona Mailinguem Kudchirem in Bicholim Taluka was also held on Sunday wherein 619 cast their votes out of whom 325 were male and 294 were female. The voter turnout was 90.79 percent.
The Commission informed that no untoward incident was reported during the poll and the entire polling process remained peaceful. The police force was deployed across the constituency to ensure law and order is maintained even as flying squads were too patrolling the vicinity to check for any illegal flow of liquor or distribution of cash.
