Panaji: The State Election Commission on Monday announced elections for 30 wards of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP). The elections will be conducted on March 11, and counting on March 13.Totally 32,496 voters, including 15,225 males and 17,271 females, will exercise their franchise in the CCP elections.While the CCP elections are not fought on party lines, political parties will back panels for the contest.Revenue minister and Panaji MLA Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate said that last time his panel won 25 seats, and this time he is set to sweep the CCP elections.“I want to create history this time by winning all 30 seats. As far as Panaji mayor Rohit is concerned, he has done a lot of development for the city. This time, we are seeking votes on his performance,” Monserrate said.The minister said that there will always be opposition, and these elections will give him the opportunity to test his strength ahead of the assembly elections.Monserrate said that he won the CCP elections for the last 20 years with the support of the people.Utpal Parrikar, who contested and lost against Monserrate in the last assembly elections, said that he will field a panel for the CCP elections with a proper vision for Panaji. “Currently, there is no say for councillors, and nobody discusses the issues of Panaji. We want to bring change. I am confident that people will stand by my panel and get them elected,” he said.State Congress president Amit Patkar said that there will be a united opposition that will field a panel for the CCP elections to defeat the Monserrate-backed panel.The SEC also announced byelections for 14 wards of different village panchayats. They will be held on March 8, and counting will be on March 9.The last elections to the CCP were held on March 20, 2021.A total of 48 polling booths will be set up to hold the CCP polls.State election commissioner Menino D’Souza said the maximum limit of total election expenses for a contesting candidate in a ward of CCP has been fixed at Rs 2.5 lakh. He said that the model code of conduct has come into force in the CCP elections, and all the necessary arrangements have been made.D’Souza said that necessary police arrangements for the polls have been made and govt should avoid any major announcement specific to the CCP areas.
