A group of youngsters show their identification cards while waiting in a queue to cast their votes for the local body elections at GHSS Vennakara in Palakkad on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: K.K. Mustafah
More than 18.55 lakh voters (76.23%) turned out to cast their votes in the local body elections held in Palakkad district on Thursday. While 9.84 lakh women (76.76%) reached polling booths, the number of men who voted was 8.71 lakh (75.64%). However, there may be a slight change in the polling figures as polling continued beyond the scheduled 6 p.m. deadline at many booths in the district.
Among the seven municipalities in the district, Chittur-Thathamangalam municipality registered the highest polling percentage at 81.41%. But Palakkad municipality, which has the largest number of voters (1,18,759), registered the lowest polling percentage: 65.08%.
Among the 13 blocks, Chittur block topped with 81.26% polling, followed by Nenmara block (79.69 %), Kollengode (78.57 %), Kuzhalmannam (78.03 %) and Attappady (78.03 %). Malampuzha block lagged behind with 74.1% polling.
Excise and Local Administration Minister M.B. Rajesh polled his vote along with his family at a booth at KVUP School, Kailiyad, in ward 16 of Chalavara grama panchayat.
85-year-old Thanka displays her inked finger and voter ID card after casting her vote at the Government LP School in Kallikad on Thursday.
| Photo Credit:
K.K. Mustafah
Power Minister K. Krishnankutty cast his vote along with his family at SNUP School, Nallamadan Challa, Vilayodi.
Polling across the district was by and large peaceful. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] claimed that an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) worker in Karimba panchayat tried to cast two votes. The IUML worker, who had already voted in ward 15, allegedly attempted to vote again in ward 11. Police said they were investigating the CPI(M) complaint filed against Tajudheen.
United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate for ward 11 of the Vandazhi panchayat, Sajita Vipin, alleged that CPI(M) workers forced their way into her house on Thursday morning and attacked her family. Her husband, Vipin, her mother, Pankajam, and her 11-month-old child were injured in the incident.
Polling opened briskly at 7 a.m., with voters arriving at the 3,054 booths in groups or alone. Of these, 2,749 were in panchayats and 305 in municipalities. There were 6,724 candidates in the district.
People wait in a queue to cast their votes for local body elections at Government LP School at Kallikad in Palakkad on Thursday.
| Photo Credit:
K.K. Mustafah
Sensitive stations
A total of 284 polling stations were marked sensitive. Additional security officers were posted at all 180 web-casted sensitive booths.
The Election Commission deployed 4,366 control units and 12,393 ballot units for polling. About 4,500 police personnel were on election duty, backed by a security team comprising 25 Deputy Superintendents, 40 Inspectors, 300 Sub-Inspectors, and a 140-member Central paramilitary unit.
The district has 20 counting centre. Counting of votes will be held on Saturday morning.
Published – December 11, 2025 09:18 pm IST
