Voting underway for Goa panchayat polls

Panaji, June 11 (IANS) Voting for the 186 panchayats in Goa is underway on Sunday, with nearly 7.49 lakh voters eligible to cast their ballot in the coastal state.

The results will be declared on June 13, according to Durga Prasad, officer on special duty to the State Election Commission

"In total, 5,297 candidates are contesting in 1,450 wards," Prasad said.

Panchayat elections are not held on party lines in Goa, but independent politicians as well as parties have informally backed candidate panels for the Sunday polls.

Authorities have declared 97 polling booths as sensitive.