Kerala civic polls: Polling smooth in Ernakulam, says district collector

KOCHI: Ernakulam district collector S Suhas said on Thursday that the polling for the municipal bodies in the district has been smooth, with no law and order issues having been reported. Earlier, the second phase of the local body polls got under way in five districts of Kerala — Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad.

"What's heartening is the cooperation of voters who are diligently following Covid-19 protocol.The voting percentage, as of now, is high in rural areas, but we hope it will pick up in urban areas in the afternoon," Suhas said.

Ernakulam recorded a polling percentage of 43.47, as per data available at 12.10pm. In the Kochi Corporation area, the percentage was 31.6. The highest polling percentage in the district was recorded at Koothattukulam municipality (54.21) followed by Muvattupuzha (52.08) and Eloor (50.78).
Out of 3,100 booths in the district, 58 have been declared sensitive, where live webcasting has been arranged, he said.
Issues related to functioning of electronic voting machines were reported from around eight booths in the morning, but this was soon rectified by replacing machines, he said.
The local polls are crucial for the traditional fronts in Kerala: the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front, Congress-headed United Democratic Front and Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA ahead of the crucial assembly elections next year.
A total of 98,57,208 voters, including 51,28,361 women and 93 transgenders, would exercise their franchise to elect representatives for 8,116 wards of 451 local bodies in the five districts.
Two corporations, Kochi and Thrissur, 36 municipalities, 350 village panchayats, 58 block panchayats and five district panchayats are among the local bodies where the second phase polling is being held.
With PTI inputs