Kerala local body elections get underway

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 08: Polling for the first phase of the local body elections have begun.

The day of polling for the first phase is on December 8, while the second and third phases will be conducted on December 14. The votes would be counted on December 16.

The polls were originally scheduled to be held in October as the tenure of the elected representatives would have come to an end on November 12. However due to an alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, the elections were postponed. After consulting with the heads of political parties, the election commission decided to postpone the elections.

On December 8, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki districts will go to polls. Ernakulam, Kottayam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad districts will go to polls on December 10 in the second phase, while on December 14, districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod in northern Kerala will go to polls. Counting of votes will take place on December 16.

All COVID-19 protocols will be followed by usage of masks, sanitisers and maintaining physical distancing at polling stations, V Bhaskaran, the state election commissioner said.