THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Local body elections in the state will be held in three phases on December 8, 10 and 14. The counting of votes will be held on December 16 so that newly elected councils assume office before the end of the year.The civic body polls, which have usually been held in two phases, were rescheduled to three phases this time in view of the Covid situation. With the election dates having announced, the model code of conduct has come into effect in the state. The election notification will be issued on November 12.
The first phase will see Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki districts going to polls. While polling will be held in Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad on December 10, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod will go to polls on December 14.
“Being the first election to be held in the state since the pandemic broke out, Covid protocol will be strictly followed. Besides officials on poll duty, Covid patients and those in quarantine will be allowed to postal-vote,” State Election Commissioner V Bhaskaran told reporters.
The duration of polling, extended by an hour, will be from 7am to 6pm. The State Election Commission exuded confidence that polling could be completed within the extended time despite Covid restrictions.
As many as 2.71 crore voters --- 1.29 crore males, 1.45 crore females and 282 transgenders --- figured in the final electoral roll published on October 1. A supplementary list will be published on Tuesday.Elections will be held in 21,865 wards in 1,199 local bodies including 941 grama panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 86 municipalities and six corporations.