NT Reporter
Margao
Polling for the Zilla Panchayat elections in Salcete taluka concluded on a largely peaceful note on Saturday, barring a couple of incidents.
The taluka recorded a turnout of 61.13 per cent, with Guirdolim and Davorlim constituencies registering the highest turnouts – 70.75 per cent and 65.78 percent respectively.
A voter from Curtorim, Rupesh Shinkre, declined to vote, alleging a breach
of secrecy in the voting process, and lodged a complaint with the presiding officer at the polling station.
Shinkre said his signature was also taken on the counterfoil, making it possible to establish which voter had collected which ballot paper and how it had been marked, thereby compromising the secrecy of the vote.
In another incident, independent candidate from Davorlim Vallabh Varak alleged that the local MLA exerted undue pressure on voters near a polling booth. The matter was later resolved on
the spot.
Polling witnessed a slow start, with only a few voters seen at most booths during the first 30 to 40 minutes across Salcete. Several voters attributed the low early turnout to the cold morning conditions.
As the day progressed, voter turnout gradually picked up, with queues forming at several polling stations. Polling booths in Davorlim recorded a comparatively steady turnout from the beginning. Similarly, booths located in primary schools, near the church in Nuvem, and within the Guirdolim constituency reported higher participation, with Guirdolim recording the highest turnout of 16.16 per cent in the first two hours. The average turnout across Salcete taluka between 8 am and 10 am stood at 12.90 per cent.
Curtorim recorded a comparatively lower turnout, reflecting limited voter enthusiasm in the area. Except for the St Rita High School polling booth, where residents of Maina’s Kargil area were seen queuing in large numbers, most other booths in Curtorim witnessed sparse voter
presence.
Voter participation increased significantly between 10 am and noon, with turnout reaching 28.92 per cent, with Guirdolim continuing to lead. By 2 pm, the overall turnout in Salcete rose to 42.33 per cent.
Post-lunch hours saw a substantial surge in voter turnout across nearly all polling booths in Salcete, including the coastal belt. Long queues were reported in several constituencies such as Benaulim, Colva, Raia, Curtorim, Navelim and Velim. By 4 pm, voter turnout in Salcete had climbed to 55.05 per cent, ahead of the final count to be declared by the election authorities.
