Women voters to call the shots next polls BY HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JAN 23 - Women voters will play a very decisive role in forthcoming elections in the State of Goa as they surpass the number of male voters by 2.01 per cent after the intensive revision of rolls conducted last October. The draft rolls, which have been published and kept open from today for objections and claims for a period of one month has an addition of 34,130 new voters to the existing list.
>From this, 19,887 are women voters and 14,243 are male voters. There are now 4,94,674 women voters and 4,93,375 male voters. According to officials, the intensive revision has an overall increase of electorate to the rolls by 3.45 per cent. This means that from a total of 9,53,919 voters in the previous rolls, the figure after the intensive revision is 9,88,049 - an increase by 34,130 voters. Nevertheless there is also a decrease in number of electorate by 7969 from the existing rolls. Interestingly, the draft rolls indicate a drop in electorate in the assembly segments in the North with Panjim at the top of the list. Panjim has a major drop in voters by 3804. While the existing rolls had a total of 17,323 voters, the draft rolls after the intensive revision for Panjim is down to 13,519. This is followed by Pale with a drop in electorate by 987 voters, St Andre by 798, Taleigao by 600, Siolim by 41 and Aldona by 59. As far as assembly segments in the South is concerned, there is a high drop in electorate in the constituency of Velim by 671 followed by Benaulim with a drop of 158 and Cuncolim by 139. Officials deny any deliberate deletions and pointed out that many voters have either moved to their constituencies and whose names could be reflecting in constituencies with an increased electorate. It was pointed out that Cortalim has recorded the highest additions of 5453 electorate in the draft rolls. Interestingly, Cortalim also has the highest number of new women voters - 2511 - and also the highest number of new male voters -2942. Vasco constituency has the least additions of seven voters; Mandrem - 612, Pernem - 735, Dhargalim - 219, Tivim - 1547, Mapusa - 34, Calangute - 765, Saligao - 564, St Cruz - 1016, Cumbarjua - 886, Bicholim - 870, Mayem - 537, Poriem - 1572, Valpoi - 1091, Madkai - 727, Ponda - 3686, Shiroda - 2288, Priol - 1209 Loutolim -- 241, Fatorda - 2839, Margao - 2587, Curtorim - 1603, Navelim - 3184, Sanvordem - 918, Curchorem - 2505, Sanguem - 577, Quepem -1640, Canacona - 992 and Poinguinim - 494. The Chief Electoral Officer Rajiv Yaduvanshi told Herald today that the State office had asked and got extension of time for the revision. "We are trying to keep up to the schedules," he said. Goa is one of the five States, which has conducted the intensive revision of electoral rolls, which is carried out every 10 years. The final rolls will be out by April 24, 2006.