Bicholim witnesses 82.12% voter turnout

NT NETWORK

Bicholim

Bicholim taluka recorded 82.12% voter turnout for North Goa parliamentary seat on Tuesday. Out of the three assembly constituencies, Sankhali registered 84.16 % while Bicholim recorded 81.55% and Mayem 80.57% respectively.

In Sankhali 22,928 voters exercised their franchise which includes 11,440 male and 11,488 female voters. While in Bicholim 21,970 voters casted their votes which include 10,966 male and 11,004 females.

In Mayem 82.57% voting was recorded. Out of 22,350 voters who exercised their franchise about 11,078 were male and 11,281 female voters.

Bicholim recorded 14.86% voting upto 9 am, 33.52% upto 11 am and 64.71% till 3 pm, which soon reached 78.63% at 5 pm.  The voting process began at 7am in 137 polling booths in Bicholim taluka except for some booths where EVM machines were found to be faulty.

Voting increased at a rapid pace between 11 am to 3 pm. Later at most of the polling booths few voters were seen waiting for their turn to cast their votes.

The government machinery was fully prepared to meet any eventuality and voters expressed happiness over the arrangements for the polling process at all booths. Special shades with plastic roof were erected near polling booths so that voters would not be affected by the summer heat. Around 1000 first-time voters casted their ballots for the first time in the taluka. Many voters felt that the Modi government should be given a chance to come back to power at the centre.

Congress senior leader and Poriem MLA Pratapsingh Rane said that voting was slow in his constituency due to various issues including the mining ban.

Mayem villagers who are mining dependents expressed their concern over the government’s failure to sort out the mining issue. Some leaders said that the mining ban issue will play an important role in the elections.

Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant while talking to the media after exercising his franchise said that the people of Goa are fully aware of the need for Modi’s government to come back to power again.