Team Herald
Margao: The re-poll to the Margao booth which was held on Tuesday recorded a modest 79.89% voter turn out. No untold incidents were reported. The VVPAT EVM were later sealed and stored in the strong room at the Government ITI facility at Borda.
The part which has 791 registered voters saw 294 males cast their vote while 338 female voted taking the totaling voting to 632. Nikhiljit Unnikrishnan was the presiding officer of the booth.
The voting at this booth was stopped abruptly on February 4 by the officials after they had discovered that he VVPAT was initially used for 50 mock polls but was not reset by the Presiding Officer before official voting began. This resulted in cancellation of polling.
The Observer then sought a report from the DEO and the PO over the mistake after which in coordination with the ECI a fresh date was fixed on February 7 for the re-election.
All the candidates and their agents had lined up at the booth. The BJP candidate Sharmad Raiturkar said that he is expecting a high voting turnout from this booth.
Congress candidate Digambar Kamat was seen speaking to his workers and taking minute to minute updates of the election.
MGP candidate Jayesh Naik and election agent of Santosh Pai Raiturkar were also continuously present at the booth.
A 78-year-old voter, Maibunnissa who was assisted on a wheelchair to the polling booth said, “My one vote may not make a difference to the entire polity but since it is my duty and a right given to me I am bound to complete and exercise it.”
The T.B Cunha booth of Aquem went to polls for the 6th time in a span of 5 years for various reasons.
