Bad news for Portuguese passport holders HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, AUG 30
Are you a Portuguese passport holder, but your name continues to be enrolled on the electoral rolls, hold on.
You now run the risk of losing your voting right or losing membership of any elected body, if any, as the Foreigners Branch has submitted a detailed list of Goan Portuguese passport holders for action under the laws in force.
In fact, around 1000-odd Goans, who have obtained Portuguese passports during the last three years face the risk of deletion of their names from the electoral rolls.
Based on the report from the Superintendent of Police, Foreigners Branch, Tony Fernandes, the office of the Chief Electoral Office has forwarded copies of the list to the Assistant Electoral Officers across Goa for verification and action.
Records revealed that around 312 Goans had obtained Portuguese Passport in the year 2008. The number swelled to 432 in the following year and around 433 locals acquired the passport so far this year. A perusal of the names revealed that most of the Portuguese passport holders hail from Tiswadi taluka, comprising the villages of Agassaim, Goa Velha, Merces, Santa Cruz, Taleigao etc.
Though the Portuguese Passport holders hail from across the State, including villages of pre-dominantly Catholic Salcete, an overwhelming majority of the holders are from Tiswadi.
“We are in receipt of the names of Goans from the Foreigners Branch who have obtained Portuguese passports. The names will be verified before initiating action under the Electors Rules”, informed Assistant Electoral Officer, Margao Paresh Faldessai.
The AEO said that the Booth Level Officers (BLO’s) will be entrusted with the task of verifying each and every name of the passport holder before they are struck down from the electoral rolls.
In fact, the election branch of the AEO, Margao has started the process of verification of the names based on records submitted by the Foreigners branch.
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