Panaji, Jan 26 (TNN): Governor Bharat Vir Wanchoo said that Goa would have to target a voting percentage of at least 75% in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The governor was speaking as the chief guest at the state-level national voters day function organized at IMB hall in the city on Saturday.

Stating that the modest beginning in ensuring maximum participation of citizens in the electoral process is not restricted to their registration as voters alone, the governor said the second and decisive part of this democratic exercise is to turn up at the polling booths to vote.

He said the Election Commission of India aspires to see every citizen on its electoral rolls to exercise her or his franchise when the occasion arises. Referring to the forthcoming parliamentary polls, the governor said the election commission's interventions were targeted at ethical voting and maximizing voters' participation in the polls.

Stating that in the previous parliamentary electoral held in 2009, the electors' participation was only 55.34%, he said that in the forthcoming elections, "we have to keep a goal of at least a 75% turn out".

The true test of our democracy from all points of view would be when we have a 100% voting and no one exercises the "none of the above" choice.