NT NETWORK
PANAJI
As many as 271 candidates filed their nomination papers on the second day for the election to the village panchayats to be held on June 11.
in North Goa, a total of 166 candidates filed nomination papers on Friday – 27 nominations from panchayats of Pernem, 15 from Bicholim taluka, four in Sattari, 97 in Bardez while 23 nominations were filed in Tiswadi taluka.
In South Goa, a total of 105 nominations papers were filed which include 28 in Ponda taluka, 12 in Dharbandora, four in Sanguem taluka, 39 in Salcete, eight in Mormugao, eight in Quepem taluka, while six nominations were filed in Canacona taluka.
State election commissioner R K Srivastava said that approximately 1700 ballot boxes would be used for voting in 1522 different wards across the 186 panchayats.
The wards which have more than 1,000 voters will be provided with a big ballot box and a smaller one for voting as the big
box has a capacity of storing 700 ballot papers while the small box can only store 400 ballot papers.
“If the state government amends the Panchayati Raj Act and makes a provision for using electronic voting machines in the act then the commission can conduct voting through EVMs,” Srivastava said.
The voter list is the same which had been notified on January 19, 2017 prior to the state assembly elections, as no new voters have been enrolled.
“For polling arrangements as regards staff, fuel, counting, storing and other purposes we have already been allocated Rs 6 crore, out of which Rs 5.65 crore has already been sanctioned…,” he added.
The commission would not take up special pre-election awareness campaign as the budget for poll publicity is quite low.
Moreover there had been a campaign for the purpose during the February assembly polls, he said adding the poll panel would use electronic and print media with an appeal for bigger voter turnout.