Voting for five municipal councils underway in Goa

There are 402 candidates in the fray while 1,85,225 eligible voters who would cast their votes. The municipal councils for which elections are being held are Margao, Quepem, Mapusa, Sanguem and Mormugao.

Results of the elections would be announced on April 26, 2021.

According to an official of the State Election Commission (SEC), the voting percentage till 1000 hrs was 10.03%

"Overall poll percentage from 8-10 am for 5 municipal councils was 16.03%," the official said.

Though the elections are not being fought on party lines, political parties like Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Congress have formed panels.

Congress has forged an alliance with the Goa Forward Party (GFP) in the Margao Municipal Council to defeat the BJP-led panel. In view of state assembly elections a few months away, stake is high for all the political parties which have formed panels and a fierce contest is being witnessed.

The five municipal councils were scheduled to go for polls along with the rest of the councils in the state but the polls were postponed following a High Court order.

The Bombay High Court at Goa had ruled that procedures followed for reservation of municipal poll constituencies for women, SC, ST and OBCs were not correct.

The ruling was challenged by the state government in the Supreme Court but the apex court upheld the High Court's order and directed the State Election Commission to complete the polls by April 30, 2021.

The polling is underway at 231 polling booths and 124 polling stations. It will end at 1700 hrs. Covid patients will be allowed to vote from 1600 hrs to 1700 hrs.