Kerala is all set for the second phase of the local body elections, with seven northern districts heading to the polls tomorrow. Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad, and Kasaragod will witness intense electoral action as voters decide the fate of thousands of candidates.
A total of 604 local bodies comprising 12,391 wards are going to the ballot. This phase features a massive 38,994 candidates, as public campaigning concluded yesterday. With today marked as the silent campaign period, all eyes are now on the voters who will cast their ballots tomorrow between 7 AM and 6 PM.
The voter base is impressive: 1.53 crore voters, including 72.46 lakh men, 80.90 lakh women, 161 transgender voters, and 3,293 expatriate voters. To ensure smooth polling, 18,274 polling stations have been prepared across the seven districts.
The election spans multiple tiers of local governance—470 grama panchayats, 77 block panchayats, 7 district panchayats, 47 municipalities, and 3 municipal corporations. Among the contestants, 20,020 are women, slightly outnumbering the 18,974 male candidates, reflecting strong female participation in the democratic process.
As North Kerala braces for a high-voltage polling day, the state awaits the outcome with anticipation. The much-awaited results will be declared on Saturday, setting the stage for the next chapter of grassroots governance in Kerala.
