Polling officials collecting election materials at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, on Monday.
| Photo Credit: H. VIBHU
As many as 26,67,746 voters in Ernakulam are expected to decide the fate of over 7,000 candidates in the fray as the district is set to vote on Tuesday in the first phase of the local body polls in the State. A total of 7,347 candidates are seeking public mandate from 2,220 wards in 111 local bodies in the district. Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Polling materials were distributed to nearly 14,000 officials designated for duty at 28 distribution centres in the district on Monday. District Collector G. Priyanka visited the distribution centre at St. Peter’s Higher Secondary School, Kumbalangi, and evaluated poll preparedness. Voting will take place at 3,021 polling stations. A total of 7,490 ballot units and 3,036 control units have been set up for voting in the district.
Eighty-two panchayats in the district had recorded an impressive voter turnout of 81.01% in the previous polls in 2020, while the polling percentage in 13 municipalities was 75.56. The turnout in Kochi Corporation, meanwhile, was comparatively low at 62.04%. The election authorities and political fronts are expecting to witness an increase in polling percentage this time as against 2020 when the polls took place amid the pandemic scare.
Webcasting will be held in 72 polling stations identified as sensitive by the police. Besides, videography will be allowed at 147 polling stations based on requests from the candidates concerned and the Kerala High Court directive. “Voters will be filmed only outside the polling station, protecting the secrecy of the voting procedure. Videography will not be allowed inside polling booths. The videos recorded will be kept with the Election Commission. The footage will not be handed over to political fronts or candidates,” the Collector said in a statement on Monday.
There are 13,88,544 women, 12,79,170 men, and 32 transgender people among voters in the district. Candidates and political leaders spent their time on silent campaign with focus on door-to-door chats with voters, distribution of pamphlets and visits to influential people on Monday.
Published – December 08, 2025 09:41 pm IST
