Thiruvananthapuram: The first phase of the local body elections in Kerala recorded a strong voter turnout with polling closing at an estimated 69.5 percent on Tuesday evening. Seven districts including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam took part in the first round of voting.
Ernakulam district registered one of the highest turnouts by the end of the day, crossing the 70 percent mark according to updated reports. Alappuzha and Idukki also reported higher participation compared to the state average. Election officials confirmed that polling remained largely peaceful across the districts, with no major incidents reported.
Voting began at 7 am after mock polling procedures and continued until 6 pm. Long queues were seen across several wards during peak hours, especially in rural panchayats. Officials said the strong turnout reflects continued public interest and engagement in local-level governance.
A total of 1,199 local bodies are going to polls this year, with thousands of candidates competing for positions in grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities, district panchayats and corporations. More than 26 lakh registered voters were listed in Ernakulam alone.
The second phase of polling will take place on December 11 and counting of votes is scheduled for December 13.
Authorities said they are satisfied with the smooth conduct of the first phase and expect similar participation in the remaining districts.