The Goa State Election Commission confirmed that polling will take place on December 20, 2025. Nomination filing will run from December 1 to 9, followed by scrutiny on December 10 and withdrawal on December 11. Counting will begin on December 22 at 8 am.

GSEC Commissioner Menino D’Souza said the Commission prepared all systems for a transparent election. Flying squads, observers, and surveillance teams will track campaign activity and spending. He urged citizens to vote responsibly and strengthen democracy.

A detailed security plan will support peaceful polling. District Election Officers, Returning Officers, and other trained staff will handle key duties. The Commission has also completed delimitation, creating 25 constituencies each in North and South Goa with clear reservations for women, OBC, SC, and ST.

Both districts will use ballot papers across 1,284 booths. Goa has 868,637 voters, and each candidate may spend up to Rs 5 lakh.

Rules for liquor service, dry days, and business timings will follow MCC guidelines to ensure fairness throughout the election period.

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The notification stunned candidates who had already begun their campaigns. Many leaders had held ward meetings, planned outreach drives, and even introduced candidates publicly. With the new rule, several male contenders rushed to push their wives forward as fresh nominees.

The Goa Forward Party faced one of the biggest setbacks. Its original candidate, Luis Quadros, had already covered most parts of Raia. Party chief Vijai Sardesai confirmed that Luis’s wife will now contest the seat.

Three-time ZP member Dominick Gaonkar also decided to field his wife Fatima, who earlier held the seat when it had a women’s quota. He said she understands the constituency and enjoys strong support.

AAP suffered a complete halt in its campaign. Its candidate Luis Oliveira became ineligible overnight, and party leaders began searching for a suitable ST woman candidate.

The Congress also scrambled for a replacement after anti-coal activist Xavier Fernandes lost eligibility. The party now needs a strong woman contender to stay competitive.

The post SEC Shock Upends Raia Poll Plans as Seat Reserved for ST Women appeared first on India Podcast.

Nelly met party leaders and submitted a formal request, stressing her long association with the organisation and her work in strengthening the grassroots network. The Ex-South Goa ZP Chief Comeback also revived memories of her four-term representation of Colva, including her rise to ZP chairperson and her contribution to women’s political empowerment.

Meanwhile, Venicia has toured Majorda and Betalbatim and now heads toward Seraulim and Colva with strong support from local cadres. Many Congress workers argue that months of fieldwork should matter while deciding the final candidate.

District Congress president Savio D’Silva confirmed that the party received Nelly’s letter and will soon finalise its shortlist. With the Aam Aadmi Party fielding former Colva sarpanch Anthony Mam Fernandes, the contest promises a competitive three-way battle.

The Congress now faces a crucial choice—reward committed party workers or allow an experienced leader to reclaim her political space in Colva.

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The second list features Pujan Malvankar (Anjuna), Carol Fernandes (Calangute), Arvind Tendulkar (Penha de Franca), Ujjwala Naik (St Lawrence), Avinash Jadhav (Querim), Sarita Panjikar (Veling Priol), Clena Fernandes (Curtorim), and Joseph Peixote (Guirdolim). AAP leaders stressed that these candidates come from community work, business, education, and social activism, ensuring better representation of local voices.

State Convenor Amit Palekar said the party wants fresh, accessible faces with a genuine desire to solve Goa’s everyday problems. Valmiki Naik noted that AAP prefers trusted volunteers instead of parachute entrants. The AAP ZP Poll Candidates strategy reflects the party’s people-first approach, focusing on healthcare, transparency, corruption-free governance, youth support, and village-level development.

Earlier this month, AAP released its first list of 14 nominees in constituencies such as Tivim, Colvale, and Aldona. With nearly half the seats covered, the party plans to announce the remaining candidates soon as campaigning picks up across rural Goa.

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