Polling in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki and Ernakulam districts will be held on December 9; voters in Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts will cast their votes on December 11.
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The Kerala State Election Commission on Monday announced that local body elections in the state will be held in two phases on December 9 and 11, reported news agency PTI.
Polling in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki and Ernakulam districts will be held on December 9.
Voters in Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts will cast their votes on December 11.
Voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm, and the votes will be counted on December 13.
The last date for filing nominations is November 21, scrutiny of nominations will take place on November 22, and the final date for withdrawal of nominations is November 24, reported PTI.
State Election Commissioner A Shajahan announced that polls will be conducted in 1,199 of the 1,200 local bodies in Kerala, with Mattannur Municipality excluded as its council's term is valid until 2027.
The elections will cover 941 grama panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 86 municipalities, and six corporations, making up a total of 23,512 wards, reported PTI.
There will be 33,746 polling stations across the state, and 2,84,30,761 voters are eligible to cast their votes, including 2,841 NRI voters, Shajahan said, reported PTI.
He also announced that the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect with immediate effect.
Kerala civic polls: BJP, LDF and UDF leaders exude confidence
Meanwhile, Union Minister Suresh Gopi said here on Monday that the BJP is facing a surge in public expectations ahead of the upcoming local body elections in Kerala, reported PTI.
Responding to reporters about the party's preparations, Gopi said that it is not just the BJP's expectations but the people's confidence in the party that has increased significantly.
"We get a general pulse of it while travelling across various places. Wards that could not have imagined supporting us earlier are now showing a positive trend," he said, reported PTI.
Meanwhile, LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the Left Front is ready for the upcoming polls.
"Once the seat-sharing among allies is finalised, we can announce our candidates. The list for almost all wards has already been prepared," he said, adding that the candidates will be announced once the election schedule is declared, reported PTI.
He also dismissed any claims of secret deals with other parties.
"The LDF will not take any stance that is undemocratic or non-secular," he said, reported PTI.
Ramakrishnan alleged that the Welfare Party and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) have ties with the Congress-led UDF.
"We are against such an alliance," he said.
The UDF said it has already advanced its poll preparations, announcing candidates for several civic bodies.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph said the local body election will serve as a semi-final before the 2026 Assembly election.
"Our goal is to win the maximum number of local bodies, including all six Corporations, this year," he said, reported PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
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