PANJIM: Regardless of the COVID-19 scare, scorching heat and the weekend, voters in large numbers headed to the polling booths on Saturday to exercise their franchise in the civic elections as well as the by-polls held for the 18 wards of various village panchayats and one ward of Sanquelim municipal council. The Navelim Zilla Panchayat by-election, the only one fought on party lines, however, saw a poor response from the electorate.
Six municipalities, Valpoi, Curchorem, Pernem, Cuncolim, Canacaona and Bicholim recorded an 83.16 per cent turnout and the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) fell way behind with 70.19 per cent polling, at a time when Goa is reeling under rising coronavirus cases and the day temperature was almost 34 degrees Celsius.
As per the final figures released by the State Election Commission, the voting percentage reported in 18 wards of different village panchayats was 83.30 per cent; while the Navelim ZP saw only 57.52 per cent exercising their right that is 8,953 voters. Ward 9 of the Sanquelim Municipal Council reported 87.67 per cent voting.
Of the 64,516 voters from six municipal councils, almost 53,671 came out to vote. In Panjim 22,495 votes were polled of the total 32,051 voters. Voting picked up post 10am, after an initial low voter turnout.
With the polling process coming to an end at 5pm on Saturday, the fate of 423 candidates got sealed. Counting will be taken up on Monday.
A total of 95 candidates have tried their luck in 30 wards of the CCP, while 273 candidates were in the battleground in six municipal councils.
Five candidates, one in Valpoi Municipal Council and four in various village
panchayats were elected unopposed. They are Nirmala Sakhalkar from ward 8 of Valpoi Municipal Council while, Vitho Varak (ward 2) of Mauxi panchayat and Nikita Narvekar (ward 3) of Bhironda panchayat in Sattari taluka; Stefanie Lucas (ward 2) of Chicalim panchayat in Mormugao taluka and Prakash Gaonkar (ward 7) of Rivona panchayat.
The SEC said that it was free and fair election with no untoward incidents being reported in any of the poll-bound areas. The election authorities claim that polling went on smoothly. Over 500 police personnel were on duty managing the poll process.
Polling was held from 8am to 5pm while, COVID-19 infected voters were allowed to vote during the last hour of voting, that is from 4pm to 5pm at their respective polling booths. Just two COVID positive patients, one each in Valpoi and Bicholim turned up to vote.
The Pernem Municipal Council witnessed the maximum voter turnout with 91.02 per cent voters exercising their right. This was followed by Bicholim Municipal Council that saw 87.96 per cent voting, Canacona reported 86.88 per cent and Valpoi witnessed 85.50 per cent turnout. Curchorem saw 80.24 per cent voting while Cuncolim reported a 76.35 per cent voter turnout.
Though the civic polls have not been held on party lines, the political fight has heated up as these polls, 10 months before the State Assembly elections, are set to be prestige issue for the ruling BJP that recently swept the Zilla Panchayat elections.
