Panaji: Polling for Goa's 40 assembly seats got underway at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning, election officials said.

A total of 251 candidates are contesting the Saturday polls, the main parties in the fray being the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Goa Suraksha Manch, among others.

Over 8,000 additional paramilitary personnel, in addition to the state police, have been despatched to the 1,642 polling stations across the state and other strategic locations to maintain law and order.

Goa has 11.08 lakh registered voters, who are entitled to exercise their franchise.

Polling ends at 5 p.m.

The 2012 state assembly polls recorded a highest ever voting percentage in the state last year at 82.2 per cent.