Brisk polling in third phase of local body polls in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After high voter turnouts in the first two phases, Kerala on Monday witnessed brisk polling in the initial hours of the third and final phase of the local body polls which got underway in four northern districts. Long queues of voters could be seen in many wards in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod districts since the polling began at 7 AM. Among the early voters were Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Industries Minister E P Jayarajan, senior CPI(M) leader and Polit Bureau member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Congress leader and former minister, Aryadan Mohammed, IUML state president Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal and P K Kunhalikutty, MP. The Chief Minister cast his vote at a polling booth in Junior Basic School in Kannur district. Vijayan later expressed confidence about the impressive victory of the ruling Left Democratic Front in the crucial local body polls, which is considered a curtain raiser for the Assembly elections due next year. “The Left front is going to achieve an iconic victory in the polls. Those, who have voted so far, have given us great support,” Vijayan told reporters in Kannur. A total of 25.09 per cent voting was registered in the four district at 10 AM, according to official update.

A total of 89,74,993 voters including 46,87,310 women and 86 transgenders were in the electoral roll in these districts to elect representatives in 6,867 wards in 354 local bodies including two Corporations and 31 municipalities. Among the total 10,842 polling stations, 1,105 were identified as sensitive and webcasting facility and special security arrangements were introduced there, State Election Commission (SEC) officials here said. Election has been postponed in two wards- Thillankery ward in Kannur district panchayat and Thathoor division in Mavoor Panchayat of Kozhikode-due to the death of candidates. As the entire election procedure was in compliance with COVID-19 protocols, masks, sanitising and social distancing norms were made mandatory at all polling stations. Polling has been generally peaceful so far in all the four districts, police sources said. Voters, who have tested positivefor the viral infection or those placed under quarantine after 3 PM on Sunday, would be allowed to cast votes in their respective booths in the evening after all the voters have exercised their franchise, SEC sources added. A total of 73.12 per cent voting was registered in the first phase polling held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki districts, while76.78 per cent in the second phase held in Ernakulam, Kottayam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad districts. The counting would be held on December 16.