Kerala local body polls: Voter turnout rises to 75.75 percent in second phase
KOCHI: As the second phase of polling for the Kerala local body elections ended on Thursday in five districts at 6 pm, the voter turnout has crossed 75 percent. As per the official figures of the State Election Commission issued at 6.10 pm, the overall polling percentage was 75.75 which was higher than the figure of 73.12 recorded in the first phase of polling.
In the second phase, Wayanad recorded the highest polling percentage of 78.97 followed by Palakkad with 77.22, Ernakulam with 76.48, Thrissur with 74.32 and Kottayam with 73.55. The last one hour of polling was allotted for Covid positive voters to cast their votes.
However, like Thiruvananthapuram corporation, the voter response was lukewarm in Kochi and Thrissur corporations. While Kochi coporation recorded a poll percentage of only 61.08 at the end of voting, Thrissur corporation recorded 63.01. The trend across the state in the first two phases was brisk polling in rural areas and low voter turnout in cities.
The final figures of the voting percentage will be released by the election commission late in the night.
However, the data released by the Commission at 6.10 pm shows that the polling percentage this election was less compared to the 2015 local body polls. Kochi Corporation has witnessed a nearly nine percent drop in voting percentage. In 2015, Kochi corporation recorded a poll percentage of 69.62 and it dropped to 61.08 this time. Similarly, the polling percentage in Thrissur corporation also dropped to 63.01 in 2020 from 71.88 in 2015.
The overall voting percentage in the second phase has dropped to 75.75 in 2020 from 78.74 in 2015.