PONDA: After a slow response for the first four days, there was a rush of candidates to file their nominations for the upcoming panchayat polls on Friday.
There were 225 nominations filed with three Returning Officers for Ponda Taluka while 50 were filed from Dharbandora Taluka.
The last day for filing nominations is July 25 and nominations are expected to flood in last two days on Saturday and Monday, Sunday being a holiday.
Aspiring candidates requested the State Election Commission to extend the timing up to 4 pm for the remaining two days from the existing 9 am to 1 pm. The Returning Officers allowed all the candidates in queues to file nominations beyond the regular time.
Hundreds of candidates aspiring to contest panchayat elections were standing in the queue.
Earlier, there was a poor response for the first four days as nominations were delayed on account candidates were busy in obtaining OBC certificates and opening bank accounts in Nationalised Bank for their expenses.
Volvi former Sarpanch Digamber Tari demanded that the government direct officials including Panchayat secretaries and Deputy Collector to issue necessary certificates immediately required for filing nominations to aspiring candidates.
He said that he visited to get no due certificate at Volvoi Panchayat however the Secretary was absent. With just two days left for filing nominations, the officials are needed to be present in the office to issue them on an urgent basis.
