Goa reports 78.94 per cent polling, the final number may cross 80 per cent

Express News Service

Goa has reported tentative 78.94 per cent polling on all 40 seats of Goa state assembly elections on Monday.

The highest 89.64 per cent voting has been reported in the Goa chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant’s constituency Sanquelim while the lowest 70.02 per cent in the Benaulim constituency in Goa. The North has reported 79.84 % polling while 78.15 % polling in South Goa.

In the previous 2017 Goa state assembly elections, a total of 81.21 per cent voting was reported against 78.94 per cent this year.  

The Goa police also seized Rs 6.66 crore cash during Goa elections while Rs 12 crore worth of gold, liquor, drugs etc seized.

Goa chief election officer Kunal said that the 78.94 % polling figure is tentative and it will change once they received the authentic data from the returning officers. He said that the present voting percentage is obtained by phone calls and another medium, therefore, the final polling percentage may cross 80 per cent once the final tally is done. “The postal ballot has not been counted in the total polling percentage therefore the final tally of polling is likely to go up crossing 80 per cent,” Kunal said.

He said that the election in Goa was peaceful and successful with the support o the people, political parties and media. The 11.64 Lakh people were eligible for votes while the Vasco Da Gama was the biggest voters having constituency while smallest Margo.

The election commission has also attached the GPS to EVM carrying vehicles for better monitoring the vehicles. Besides, 31 cases of social media violation were reported where the 30 objectionable posts were deleted later.

“It was peaceful elections. No major untoward incident was reported, only some minor disputes were reported. The three FIR were registered related to model code of conduct violations. The immediate action was taken by the police as well,” said a senior police officer.

“We took prevention actions against 700 history-sheeters and anti-social elements. The 5000 Goa police were deployed during the polling. A person was taken photographs of his vote while casting his vote at the polling booth. He posted this EVM picture on his social media account. After that incident, we asked the voters, not to take their mobile phones with them while casting the vote. The secrecy of voting is paramount and need to maintain,” said a police officer.