Polling for Goa's Zilla Panchayat elections will be held on Saturday (December 20) for all 50 seats across the state. According to the Election Commission of India, a total of 8.68 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in this crucial local body election. With the Model Code of Conduct now in force across all Zilla Panchayat areas, authorities have put in place strict guidelines to ensure free, fair and peaceful polling. Voting will be conducted through ballot papers. Counting of votes is scheduled for December 22.
Voter turnout and poll schedule
As per official data, a total of 8,68,637 voters will cast their votes on December 20. This includes 4,20,431 male voters and 4,48,201 female voters.
- Polling date: December 20, 2025
- Counting of votes: December 22, 2025
- Mode of voting: Ballot paper
Voting Day Guidelines: What's allowed and what's not
To maintain law and order, the District Magistrates of North Goa and South Goa have issued prohibitory orders ahead of polling.
- All restaurants, bars, tea stalls, pan shops, dhabas and other food establishments within 100 metres of polling stations will remain closed from 6 am to 9 pm on polling day.
- Similar restrictions will be enforced at counting centres on December 22 from 6 am until the completion of counting.
- Gathering of more than five persons within 200 metres of polling stations has been prohibited.
- Polling officials, magistrates, police personnel and government staff on election duty are exempted from these restrictions.
- The orders will not apply to genuine wedding processions, funeral gatherings or religious processions and ceremonies.
- Violation of these orders will invite penal action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with other applicable legal provisions.
All 50 constituencies will complete the counting process on December 22.
Reserved seats and polling infrastructure
The Election Commission clarified that the electoral rolls are based on the Goa Assembly voter list as of January 1, 2025.
North Goa:
- 9 seats reserved for women
- 7 seats for OBCs
- 1 seat each for SC and ST
South Goa:
- 10 seats reserved for women
- 6 seats for OBCs
- 5 seats reserved for ST
There are a total of 1,284 polling stations across the state, with 658 in North Goa and 626 in South Goa.
Why this election matters?
The Zilla Panchayat elections are being seen as a key political battle ahead of the 2027 Goa Assembly elections. The outcome is expected to set the tone for future alliances and electoral strategies. In the 2022 Goa Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 20 seats, while the Congress secured 11. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party won two seats, the Aam Aadmi Party also won two, independents secured three seats, and other candidates won two. The Congress has reiterated its commitment to protecting the fundamental right to vote of every Goan and stated that it will oppose any alleged attempts at "vote theft" in the state.
