The second phase of Kerala local body elections on Thursday, 10 December, saw 76.28 percent of voter turnout. Polling began at 7 am in the districts of Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, and Wayanad.
The Kerala civic body elections are being held in three phases due to COVID-19 restrictions, with physical distancing measures and COVID patients being made to caste their votes in protective gear.
According to details at 7.15 pm, the highest voter turnout was in Wayanad district with 79.39 percent and the lowest in Kottayam with 73.89 percent, The Times of India reported. Ernakulam reported 77.02 percent voter turnout, Thrissur 74.92 percent and Palakkad 77.83 percent. The two corporations, Kochi and Thrissur, recorded 61.90 and 63.62 percent respectively.
On Tuesday, 8 December, the state saw the first phase of polling in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Idukki. Despite the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, the voter turnout in the first phase was 72.03 percent.
The third phase is to be held on 14 December in the districts of Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram. The counting of the votes will begin on 16 December, 2020.
Out of the total 1,200 local bodies in the state, the elections will be held for 1,199 local bodies as the municipality of Mattannur in Kannur district follows a different election calendar. The elections are held for 941 grama panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 86 municipalities and 6 municipal corporations. There is s 50 percent reservation for women candidates.
(Inputs from Times of India and The News Minute)
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