57.63 pc voting in Goa for two Lok Sabha seats by 3 pm

As much as 57.63 per cent voter turnout was registered in the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Goa till 3 pm, election authorities said.

Long queues were seen outside several polling centres.

As per the data released by the Chief Electoral Officer, North Goa constituency witnessed 58.31 per cent polling by 3 pm while South Goa registered 56.93 per cent turnout.

By-elections are also being held for three Assembly constituencies in the coastal state Tuesday.

Mapusa Assembly constituency witnessed 56.28 per cent polling by 3 pm, Shiroda witnessed 61.39 per cent while Mandrem registered a high 64.91 per cent turnout.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his wife were among the early voters. Governor Mridula Sinha and her husband also cast their votes in the morning in Dona Paula area near here.

Congress candidate from North Goa Lok Sabha seat Girish Chodankar and BJP nominee and sitting MP Shripad Naik exercised their franchise early in the day.

In South Goa, Congress candidate Francis Sardinha, BJP candidate Narendra Sawaikar and Shiv Sena candidate Rakhi Prabhudesai Naik were among the early voters.

The Aam Aadmi Party's contestants Pradeep Padgaonkar and Elvis Gomes, who are contesting from North Goa and South Goa, respectively, also voted.

Twelve candidates are in the fray for the two Lok Sabha constituencies and 18 for the three Assembly seats.

By-elections to Shiroda and Mandrem Assembly seats were necessitated after sitting Congress MLAs joined the ruling BJP. Mapusa assembly seat fell vacant following the death of its sitting MLA.