Team Herald

PANJIM: The State Election Commission on Saturday announced the dates for the Zilla Panchayat polls. Polling will be on December 12 and counting will be taken up two days later on December 14.

Addressing the media, State Election Commission Chokha Ram Garg also said that polling will be held in 48 seats and that COVID positive patients will be allowed to vote in the last hour with proper SOPs and PPEs.

“Out of 50 constituencies, polling will be held in 48, as one candidate was elected unopposed in Sancoale and in another constituency a candidate expired and as per rules the elections there had to be cancelled,” he said.

He said that 200 candidates are in the fray for 48 seats – 104 in North and 96 in South. BJP is contesting 41 seats, INC 37, MGP 17, NCP 6, AAP 20 and RSP 1. There are 78 independents in the fray.

The SEC said that there would be no public campaigning allowed and that the model code of conduct comes into force and will be in force till December 14 midnight.

In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said all arrangements have been made to see that the strict SOPs are followed by the polling staff as well as the voters. He also said that voters will not be allowed to vote without masks.

“Positive COVID-19 patients will be allowed polling in last hour of polling with proper PPEs etc,” he said.

To a query, he said, there was no need of increasing the number of polling booths. “As the number of voters in each booth is less than 800, there is no need of increasing booths,” he said.

He said there would be six feet gap between persons at the queues, while sanitisers would be provided at the entry and exit points.

The ZP elections were scheduled to be held on March 23, but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SEC said that as the polls were postponed after campaigning ended there was no need for additional time for preparation.

On the petition in the High Court against the elections, Garg said that the SEC will file its reply in the High Court.