Goa seeks 14 companies of central forces for LS polls

Panaji, March 18 (IANS) Goa is expecting 14 companies of central paramilitary forces for area domination and confidence-building measure to ensure free, fair and peaceful Lok Sabha elections, officials said on Monday.

The coastal state will go to polls on May 7 in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections for two seats -- North and South.

Goa has already received two companies of central forces. “We have requested 14 companies of central forces, and already two have reached Goa,” Goa Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ramesh Verma told IANS.

Sources informed that apart from the central forces, the Goa government will deploy more than 8,000 local police in the poll-bound constituencies.

The senior police had held a series of meetings last week and also an interstate border coordination meeting, which was attended by officials of Maharashtra and Karnataka-bordering states.

There are 25,209 first-time voters, with 12,070 in North Goa and 13,139 in South Goa.

As of March 16, in terms of voter demographics, Goa has a total of 11,73,016 voters, with 5,77,958 in North Goa and 5,95,058 in South Goa. Among these, there are 5,68,501 male voters and 6,04,515 female voters.

The state will have a total of 1,725 polling stations, with 863 in North Goa and 862 in South Goa