PANJIM: Braving the scorching heat, the voters in the coastal State on Tuesday exercised their franchise as Goa registered a 75.20 per cent voter turnout during the third phase of the Lok Sabha held in two constituencies on Tuesday.
However, the voting percentage was lower than the 76.40 per cent polling recorded in 2019 polls.
As per the final polling figure estimates released by the State Election Office, North Goa Parliamentary constituency recorded 76.54 per cent of polling, while the South Goa Parliamentary constituency registered a voting percentage of 73.90 per cent.
In North Goa constituency, Poriem Assembly segment of Sattari taluka recorded the highest voting percentage of 87.11 per cent, followed by 86.50 per cent in Sankhali constituency and 82.97 per cent in Valpoi constituency. Panjim Assembly segment recorded the lowest percentage of 67.26.
Similarly, in South Goa, the Sanguem Assembly segment registered the highest polling percentage of 82.2, while Sanvordem recorded 79.98 per cent and Quepem 78 per cent. Vasco constituency recorded the lowest turnout at 67.1 per cent.
All these Assembly segments are represented by BJP legislators and they claimed that higher voter turnout was an advantage to the BJP candidates.
The voting was conducted smoothly and peacefully barring stray incidents of voters complaining of indelible ink getting washed off and EVMs malfunctioning at 10 polling stations. However, the faults in the EVMs were quickly rectified and polling was restarted. The voting was held in 1,725 polling stations across the State, from 7 am to 6 pm.
Special arrangements were made to mitigate the effects of hot weather conditions, including the provision of shamiyanas, soft drinks, drinking water, medical kits, etc, for the convenience of voters.
The fate of 16 candidates, including Union Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Naik (BJP), former Union Minister Ramakant Khalap (Congress), both in North Goa constituency; and businesswoman Pallavi Dempo (BJP) and Capt Viriato Fernandes (Congress) in South Goa constituency were sealed by voters on Tuesday.
Since morning the voting was brisk and gradually picked up later as per the trends available.
The two polling booths - No. 43 in Salgini-Netravali and booth No. 45 at Manngal and in Sanguem constituency - represented by Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai, recorded 100 per cent polling. In all, 109 registered voters in Salgini-Netravali and 223 voters at Manngal exercised their franchise by 3 pm.
Phal Desai claimed that as expected, voters came out in large number to vote for the BJP.
On the other hand, Congress said that said the high voter turnout means there was anti-incumbency and people voted against the BJP.
More than 11.79 lakh voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the two Lok Sabha seats in the State.
Meanwhile, the EVMs from North Goa Parliamentary constituency have been stored in strong rooms at Cyclone Shelter at Altinho-Panjim, while EVMs from the South Goa constituency have been stored in strong rooms at Shree Damodar College of Commerce and Economics, Margao.
The EVMs will be taken up for counting on June 4.
International delegates from Bhutan and Mongolia, including media teams from Bhutan and Israel, visited many polling stations across the State to witness the poll process. The delegates had also witnessed the process of handing over of polling materials and machines to the polling teams and were appreciative of the magnitude, transparency and most importantly the festive mood of voters. The delegates had arrived in the State in response to an invitation from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to observe the world’s largest ongoing electoral process.