Panaji: A total of 41 candidates were nominated for the upcoming byelections to 14 vacant wards across village panchayats in Goa, scheduled for March 8. With candidates withdrawing their nominations on Friday, two were declared unopposed winners in two village panchayats.Rakhi Sandeep Salgaonkar was elected unopposed as panch member of Ward No 2 of Salvador Do Mundo, while Nilu Velip was elected unopposed to Adnem panchayat’s Ward 8.The elections for the remaining 12 panchayats spread over different talukas will continue on March 8. The highest number of candidates were contesting from Candolim, which had five candidates in the fray for Ward 1, followed by Veling-Priol-Cuncoliem and Borim, each fielding four candidates.The 14 panchayats which were going to polls were Mandrem, Chandel-Hassapur, Sirsaim, Candolim, Salvador-do-Mundo, Latambarcem, Piligao, Pilerne-Marra, Bhoma-Adcolna, Veling-Priol-Cuncoliem, Borim, Aquem-Baixo, Balli-Adnem, and Loliem-Polem.The wards fall under various reserved categories, including general, OBC, OBC women, women, and ST, reflecting the constitutional reservation framework applicable to local body elections.The nomination papers of all 41 candidates were accepted following scrutiny by the returning officers, after which a window was kept open for withdrawal of nominations. Voters in the respective wards will now choose their panchayat representatives through ballot paper polls.
