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70 per cent polling in Goa

The fate of former Goa assembly speaker Tomazinho Cardozo, six former chief ministers, and several former ministers and MLAs were sealed in electronic voting machines as the polling for 39 assembly constituencies in Goa ended at 1700 IST today.

An estimated 70 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise since the voting started at 0700 IST, according to the chief electoral officer.

The polling picked up after 1000 IST after a slow start as overnight showers had kept the voters indoors in the morning.

In Candolim, which is a major tourist attraction in north Goa, there was brisk voting in the morning.

In Mapuca, the main trading town in north Goa, polling began on a dull note, but picked up by noon.

In Aldona on the River Mandovi, voters had lined up quite early. In Taliegao, Santa Cruz and Panjim, polling was orderly and tension-free though some booths had been identified as 'sensitive'.

The electronic voting machines were a complete success as voters of all ages accepted the simplicity of the mechanism.

At Reis Magoas in Calangute constituency, voter turnout was quite impressive. An old woman, after casting her ballot, said, ''I had no difficulty in voting on the machine. I enjoyed it.''

The counting of votes will be taken up on Sunday. The counting too will be done electronically.

Meanwhile, former chief minister Pratapsing Rane has filed a complaint against the brother of his opponent Santoba Desai, a retired police officer, for intimidating voters.

The polling was a strict affair with sensitive areas being kept under constant vigil in anticipation of violation of poll norms.

In Baina area of Mormugao constituency, polling officers were strict enough to send back several voters after demanding that they produce their ration cards to prove their identity.

In another area of Siridao, six activists of a candidate were taken away by the police for canvassing within 100 metres of the booth.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Quamar Ahmed, who rushed to the booth, later clarified that they were not arrested. He said no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state.

Sandesh Prabhudesai and UNI

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