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Phobias galore as Goa is set to vote electronically

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

Silence is the key word as Goa is all set for India's first state-wide electronic polling tomorrow.

The polling stations will be actually silent: no rustling of ballot papers or thumping on ink pads. You enter the booth, check your number and go and press the button next to the symbol of your choice.

The feather touch will decide who will rule Goa.

The story of silence does not end here. The silent voter will now "speak out" electronically on the kind of government he desires.

''If it does not rain, even those who normally do not vote may turn up at the polling station, out of curiosity for the electronic voting machine," feels Kewal Sharma, the chief electoral officer. In which case, the increased polling percentage would stand all predictions on their head.

The police are also a bit relieved because the possibility of booth capturing is remote. The voting unit does not function unless the polling officer depresses the control switch.

"The criminals need to go hi tech for that," quips director general of police R S Sahay in a lighter vein. The law and order machinery is, however, fully prepared to face any eventuality.

Three thousand personnel, including 15 companies of para-military forces, are deployed in 39 constituencies divided into 11 zones. They have already started rounding up suspected troublemakers.

Constituencies represented by former ministers like Churchill Alemao from Benaulim, Somnath Zuwarkar from Taleigao (part of Panaji city) and Victoria Fernandes of St Cruz have been identified as hyper-sensitive. Several booths in 20 other segments have also been similarly categorised.

"With Congress appearing desperate and the forces of the MGP and the BJP -- former alliance partners -- being divided, we are leaving no stone unturned as it is a different kind of battlefield this time," admits Sahay.

To co-ordinate electioneering at 1111 polling stations in 39 constituencies (except Loutolim which the Congress won unopposed), the election office has pressed into service cell phones, wireless sets, fax machines besides well-equipped vehicles for the observers.

Sector area officers would also be armed with spare electronic voting machines, in case of failure of the ones in use. Technicians will also be kept ready on standby for emergency purposes.

Besides live demonstrations the election office also sought to educate the voter about the use of EVMs through pamphlets and newspaper advertisements. Moreover, it effectively countered the misinformation being spread by some politicians regarding EVM's implementation.

Former chief minister Luizinho Faleiro has in fact been warning people that the EVM dispensed with secret ballot since it was possible to find out who voted for whom.

Dr Kashinath Jalmi, former opposition leader, is perhaps the only politician who has utilised the EVM to effectively win over the voters. Preparing a replica of the EVM, complete with pulsing lights and beeping sounds, he took it semi-educated OBC voters in his constituency to teach them how to use the machine.

The BJP is ready with an advertisement, which will hit the front pages of newspapers tomorrow, asking voters to ''press the right button.'' The visual shows an EVM with the party's symbol on it.

As it is, it appears to be a neck-to-neck race between the Congress, the BJP and the MGP with the two regional outfits -- the United Goans Democratic Party and the Goa Rajiv Congress -- following right behind.

The rebel Congressmen, contesting as independents, have also changed the scenario in several constituencies.

Local leaders admit privately they expect a hung Assembly and that forming a government will have to necessarily involve a lot of horse-trading.

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