Kerala local body polls: 76.28% voter turnout in 2nd phase

Ernakulam reported 77.02 per cent voter turnout, Thrissur 74.92 per cent, Palakkad 77.83 per cent. The two corporations - Kochi and Thrissur - recorded 61.90 and 63.62 per cent respectively.

Thiruvananthapuram: The second phase of the local body polls in five central districts of Kerala held on Thursday saw brisk participation of voters with 76.28 per cent turnout as per the latest figures issued by the state election commission.

According to the details at 7.15 PM, the highest voter turnout was in Wayanad district with 79.39 per cent and the lowest in Kottayam with 73.89 per cent.

Ernakulam reported 77.02 per cent voter turnout, Thrissur 74.92 per cent, Palakkad 77.83 per cent.

The two corporations - Kochi and Thrissur - recorded 61.90 and 63.62 per cent respectively.

Two corporations, 36 municipalities, 350 village panchayats, 58 block panchayats and five district panchayats are among the local bodies where the second phase polling was held.

Polls were held for 8,116 wards of 451 local bodies in Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad districts.

Of the total 12,643 polling booths, 473 were identified as sensitive and a webcasting facility was arranged there.

Voters, who were COVID-19 positive or those placed under quarantine after 3 PM on Wednesday, were allowed to cast votes in their respective booths in the evening after other voters had exercised their franchise.

"A 58-year-old woman fainted while returning after casting her vote for the polls at Wayanad district and later died on the way to the district hospital," officials said.

District Special branch Police identified the deceased as Devi of Varinilam colony at nearby Thrissilleri in Thirunelli panchayat.

Bathery police station ASI Mathew said Senior Civil Police Officer, Karunakaran (45), collapsed and died while on guard duty at an election booth in Assumption School near Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad around 1 PM.

There are 98,57,208 voters including 51,28,361 women and 93 transgenders in the five districts.

Earlier, two persons had died after casting their votes in the first phase of the polls on Tuesday.

The Election Commission had deployed 63,187 officials at polling stations while 19,736 police personnel were on duty for the smooth conduct of the polls. The third phase in four districts - Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod - would be on December 14.

Counting would be held on December 16.

The local body polls are crucial for the two traditional fronts in Kerala- the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front, Congress-headed United Democratic Front-- besides the BJP-NDA as the Assembly election is being held next year.

PTI