Preparations for counting of votes at three centres underway

Panaji, June 3 (UNI) Preparations are underway for counting of votes amid tight security on June 5 at three centres to decide the electoral fortunes of 202 candidates who contested the June 2 election to the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly.

Centres are located in the capital - one at Balbhawan and the other Pharmacy College for 19 North Goa constituencies- while another is at Multipurpose Hall, Borde-Margao for 21 South Goa segments.

The BJP contested the highest number of 33 seats followed by its rival Congress 32, the oldest Maharshtrawadi Gomantak Party-26, Save Goa Front (SGF)-17, JD(S) and UGDP-11 each, Shiv Sena-7, Nationalist Congress Party-6, Communist Party of India (CPI)-3, CPI(Marxist)-1, RPI(A)-4, GSP-1 and Independents-50.

Meanwhile, election officials are still grappling with the collation of final figures of polling, consituency-wise as polling ended late last night following heavy downpour. A software glitch in South Goa seems to have caused the delay.

Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer Ramesh Negi today put the tentative voting percentage at 68.97 as against 72 per cent he mentioned yesterday.

It was 68.79 per cent polling in the 2002 polls and 63.50 per cent in the 1999 elections as against 71.25 per cent in 1994.

Authorities took serious view of the national leaders of all political parties from outside, who did not comply with the election commission's order to leave Goa immediately after the campaigning on May 31.

Their presence after the campaigning ended may ''undermine the atmosphere for free and fair polls,'' authorities added.

UNI