According to the state poll officials, counting will begin on Sunday and and results to all 40 seats to the Goa Assembly will be declared by Sunday afternoon. The fates of 208 candidate's fates will be decided when the electronically cast votes are totted up.

The Congress party headed by Luizinho Faleiro which was toppled earlier this year due to defections is trying to return to power. It was however challenged by 33 rebel Congressman who contested in 20 seats.

In all five political parties -- the Congress, the BJP, the regional Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, United GoansDemocratic Party and the rump Goa Rajiv Congress are in the fray.

Contrary to expectations, the deployment of electronic voting machines was accepted easily by even the uneducated sections of society. In the port city of Vasco Da Gama which has a large number of migrants, several labourers voted without effort, though some did required assistance from election officials.

The death of former deputy speaker of the Goa assembly Deu Mandrekar did not affect polling in the Dargalim assembly segment where he was contesting as an Independent. According to the modified electioneering rules polls will not be countermanded in case of death of an independent candidate. Mandrekar, 76, played a key role in toppling the Pratapsinh Rane, Wilfred D'Souza and Luizinho Faleiro governments in the last one year. Thanks to his reputation as a regular defector he was denied tickets by all parties.

Ex-MLA intimidates sex-workers

Visiting press persons at the polling stations numbers 19 and 20 at Baina red-lightdistrict found outgoing MLA Johan Manuel Vaz intimidating sex-workers. Vaz, who has earned a reputation as a crusader against prostitution, and his supporters were demanding that voters prove their identity.

Most of them, women from Karnataka, were sent back and told to bring further proofs of identity if they wanted to vote. The presiding officers in both the polling stations sat meekly as supporters of Vaz and UDGP candidate Sheikh Niazi, walked in and out intimidating voters. "These women are ruining the lives of youth in Goa," Vaz repeatedly yelled at press persons.