NT NETWORK
MARGAO
Barring a couple of incidents of EVM malfunctioning, and a ‘faulty procedure’ that forced re-polling in one of the polling booths of the Margao constituency, the voting was by and large smooth in the constituencies of Margao, Fatorda, Benaulim, Nuvem and Quepem.
District Election Officer and District Collector Swapnil Naik informed that roughly 80 per cent voting was registered in South Goa, with an average of 77.61 per cent in these five constituencies.
The EVM malfunctioning at the Nuvem polling booth located near the church delayed the voting process by 45 minutes.
The machine was replaced by the sector officials and additional district magistrates.
In Margao, at booth no 8, re-polling was announced after the presiding officer forgot to clear the mock votes cast before the start of the polling process. The matter has been referred to the EC for the finalisation of the re-polling date. “The voting was otherwise peaceful. Some minor incidents did happen,”summed up the District Collector while briefing the media.
He said that on the intervening night of February 3 and February 4, liquor bottles worth Rs 14 lakh were seized.
The voting picked up momentum as the time passed by and the daily Masses concluded in the Catholic-dominated constituencies of Nuvem and Benaulim.
This was seen more at the polling stations close to the churches.
A tour of these constituencies confirmed that on an average 15 to 20 per cent voting was registered in the constituencies of Margao, Fatorda, Benaulim and Nuvem during the morning session.
However, in Quepem and Ambaulim, it was roughly 30 per cent in the first two hours.
As the day progressed, the percentage went up to 40 and 50 by 1 pm.
During the post-lunch session, on an average, another 20 per cent voting was registered in these five constituencies.
