32 percent voting in Panaji bye-election in early hours

At least 32 percent of the voters cast their ballots within the three hours of polling in the Panaji assembly bye-election Friday.

Four candidates are contesting the bye-election, caused by the elevation of then Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar to the union cabinet as the defence minister in November 2014.

Polling was peaceful with no untoward incident being reported in the Panaji constituency which has no sensitive polling booths.

Parrikar, who cast his ballot earlier Friday, expressed confidence that his political aide Sidharth Kunkolienkar would win. "The response has been very good. We are confident," Parrikar said.

Congress candidate and Mayor Surendra Furtado too claimed that he was optimistic about his win.

"People are coming out in large numbers. They want to vote out the BJP legacy," Furtado said.

Two other independent candidates Samir Kelekar and Sadanand Vaingankar are also in the fray.

According to the poll authorities here, it is the first occasion when none of the candidates contesting a legislative seat have criminal backgrounds. The results of the Panaji will be declared Feb 15.