Goa panchayat election 2022: Polls underway amid tight security, liquor banned

Goa panchayat polls 2022: More than 5,000 candidates are in the fray to elections across 1,464 wards. Counting of votes will be held on August 12.

Goa panchayat polls 2022: Election to 186 panchayat bodies in Goa were underway on Wednesday morning. Polling will go on till 5pm and a total of 5,038 candidates are in the fray representing 1,464 wards, the state election commission informed.

Goa panchayat elections are underway.(AFP File Photo)

A total of 64 candidates have been elected unopposed from different village panchayats, of which 41 were from North Goa and 23 from South Goa, a senior official told news agency PTI.

North Goa district has 97 panchayats, with 2,667 candidates in the fray, while 2,371 will contest polls for 89 panchayats in South Goa, he said. As per the official data, there 3,85,867 and 4,11,153 voters in North Goa and South Goa respectively.

The administration imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) across the state ahead of the polls, while a liquor ban was also imposed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The counting of votes in Goa panchayat polls are scheduled to take place on August 12 and the results will be out the same day.