Margao

Goa Congress leaders took aim at the BJP-led government and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. They called it a move to cut voters, not strengthen democracy.

Goa Congress in-charge Manikrao Thakare was blunt about it. "BJP has won the last five elections, but it cannot assume it has the right to decide who should vote and who should not," he said in Margao. He also pointed out that the Election Commission is a constitutional body, not an extension of the government. He warned that Congress would fight "from the streets to the courts".

Goa Youth Congress workers held a protest at Azad Maidan. They demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar. Youth Congress president Archit Naik called the CEC a "puppet of Modi".

Questions Raised Over SIR Process

Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira questioned how clear the SIR process really is. He said BJP was using the voter list revision as a political tool ahead of upcoming elections.

Congress leaders asked the Election Commission to make sure no eligible voter is left out of the rolls. They said they would keep pushing until full clarity is achieved.

State Election Commission has officially notified the ward limits for 11 municipal councils across Goa. This step clears the way for the government to hold local body elections. The notice lists specific areas, assembly segments, and house numbers for each ward.

Affected councils include Mormugao, Margao, Mapusa, Curchorem-Cacora, Bicholim, Cuncolim, Quepem, Canacona, Valpoi, Pernem, and Sanguem. Bombay High Court set a deadline, ordering the commission to finish the election process by January 2.

Changes to ward rules

Under the amended Goa Municipalities Act, ward boundaries now depend on total population. This is a change from the old system based on registered voters. Administrators managed these councils since their terms ended in April. The delay led to legal cases, as people argued that missing the election timeline went against constitutional requirements.

Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar confirmed that Goa Assembly elections will happen on the planned dates. During an event in Margao, he cleared up rumors about early voting.

Election Commission wants 95 percent of voters to turn out. Officials in North Goa, South Goa, and Kushavati have set goals to increase participation. Kumar noted that Booth Level Officers should talk to citizens directly to encourage voting.

Election processes and technology

Kumar explained that Electronic Voting Machines are safe, standalone devices. He also said that Indian law does not currently require specific educational levels for candidates or allow online voting systems.

Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar recently visited Margao to meet young students and booth level officers. He noted that the voting process stays clear through regular checks by political parties and candidates.

Important role of booth level officers

Speaking at Ravindra Bhawan, he called booth level officers the main support of democracy. These officials act as the main link between the Election Commission and every citizen. He also spoke about how the ECINET App and Electoral Literacy Clubs help more people across the country take part in voting.

Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner, recently praised Goa for doing the best job in the country with the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists. At a regional meeting at Ravindra Bhavan in Margao, he highlighted the hard work of Booth Level Officers. They are the main part of the election system.

Election preparation updates

Over 1,000 officials attended this meeting to talk about registering voters, digital services via ECINET, and polling steps. With the 2027 Legislative Assembly elections coming up, keeping voter lists correct and inclusive is very important. Focusing on local preparation and teaching voters about the process is a good step.

Bombay High Court at Goa upheld the Goa Municipalities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026. This follows cases that challenged rules for ward boundaries and reservations in local civic bodies.

Election Schedule for Municipalities

The court ordered Goa State Election Commission to finish the election process for 11 municipalities by January 2, 2027. This solves issues about the delay in holding polls after these councils finished their terms earlier this year. The list of municipalities includes Mapusa, Margao, Ponda, Mormugao, Quepem, Bicholim, Pernem, Valpoi, Cuncolim, Curchorem, and Canacona.

Petitioners argued that the wait for these elections broke Article 243U of the Constitution. This rule requires elections to finish before a council's 5-year term ends.