By-poll underway for South Goa Lok Sabha seat

The by-poll for the South Goa (2-Mormugao parliamentary constituency) began this morning.

Panaji, Oct 31 : The by-poll for the South Goa (2-Mormugao parliamentary constituency) began this morning.

A total of 5,60,898 voters, including 2,79,338 females, are expected to cast their votes till 5 p.m.

The Congress and the BJP are directly locked in a fight with each other for the seat.

Fransisco Sardinha from the Congress, Dr Wilfred mesquite from the BJP, Jawahar Dias and Hamja Khan (both independent) are the four candidates in the fray.

The polling is being held on 590 polling booths, out of which, 65 have been declared as 'sensitive'.

Catholic-dominated Salcette, which will determine the winning candidate, has largest number of sensitive polling booths compared to rest of the talukas in the constituency.

Salcette has 31 sensitive polling booths while Ponda has 9, Mormugao has 18, Sanguem and Quepem has 4.

The election is being conducted on electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Six companies of the central para-military forces and about 1,500 local police have been deployed to maintain law and order situation.

Two general observers and one expenditure observer is on duty to see that the elections are held in a free, fair and peaceful manner.

According to officials, 95 area officers and 21 sector officers have been pressed into service in different areas.

The counting will be held on November 3.

ANI