Kerala registered a high voter turnout in the second phase of the local body elections held on Thursday, recording 76.08 percent polling across seven districts. The districts that went to the polls in this phase were Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod. Voters elected representatives to gram panchayats, block panchayats, district panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporations.
The second phase witnessed steady polling from morning, with long queues forming in several booths. Wayanad recorded one of the highest participation levels of the day, while Thrissur registered the lowest turnout among the phase two districts. Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur also reported strong voter participation throughout the day. Women voters slightly outnumbered men in several districts, and polling officials recorded transgender voter participation separately.
With phase two now complete, the cumulative voter turnout for the 2025 Kerala local body elections across both phases stands at 73.69 percent. The first phase, held on December 9, had seen similarly strong participation. The overall turnout remains consistent with Kerala’s history of high civic engagement in local governance elections.
Polling was largely peaceful across the seven districts. A few booths reported minor delays and technical issues, but these were resolved quickly, allowing voting to continue smoothly. Security arrangements were strengthened in sensitive booths, and police teams monitored crowd movement throughout the day to avoid any disruptions.
The State Election Commission confirmed that all voting machines were sealed and transported to designated counting centers after polling ended. Counting of votes will begin at 8 a.m. on December 13. Postal ballots will be counted first, followed by the votes recorded in electronic voting machines. The results for various wards and local bodies are expected to be announced progressively through the day.
The Kerala local body elections are considered a crucial indicator of political sentiment at the grassroots level. Political parties are now preparing for the counting day, as the outcome is likely to influence their strategies ahead of future state-level and national electoral contests.
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