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Now, Goanese Portuguese can also cast their vote in Portugal Panaji | January 21, 2006 3:21:04 PM IST Effective 2006, Portuguese living in Goa can also participate in elections of their country by choosing their own candidates. They have been allowed to exercise their franchise in this year's presidential election, which commenced on Thursday. Altogether six candidates are in the fray and people can exercise their choice of candidate till Sunday (January 22). Polling arrangements have been made in Goa that will help the Portuguese in Goa to participate in the polling back home. "Polling Facilities have been provided all over the world where the Portugal has diplomatic mission. So, it is a rule to give all the citizens an opportunity, who are abroad and Portuguese citizens. In almost every diplomatic mission, it was open voting and Goa is one of those places," said Pedro Adao, Consul General of Portugal, Goa. Goa was under the colonial rule of Portugal till 1961 and still more then 5,000 Portuguese live in Goa. Keeping this in view, the Portuguese consulate in Panjim has provided polling facilities. A polling booth has been opened and polling officials have been stationed. "We don't have the notion of how many Portuguese citizens or Portuguese passport holders are actually in Goa because many people come and go. Many people are registered here in the consular section and they leave for another country to work, seasonal situations. So, it's very difficult to say how many citizens are actually here and how many could vote," said Adao. But so far, to the disappointment of the Portuguese Government, very few people are coming to cast their votes. Only around 400 people have registered themselves as voters and only seven voters turned up for the polling on Thursday. Adao attributes this to ignorance on the part of people and a lack of interest. (ANI) -- Cheers, Gabe Menezes. London, England
