A group of youngsters shows their ID cards while waiting in a queue to cast their votes at GHSS Vennakara in Palakkad on Thursday
| Photo Credit: K K Mustafah
Nearly 60 per cent of the 24.33 lakh voters in Palakkad district cast their franchise in the civic body elections by 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. When 7.69 lakh of the 12.81 lakh women voters polled their votes, 6.83 lakh of the 11.51 lakh men voters polled theirs by 2.30 p.m. in the district.
Among the seven municipalities in the district, Pattambi registered the highest polling percentage by mid-day, at 54.29 per cent. Palakkad municipality registered the lowest polling percentage, at 40.68 per cent.
Among the 13 blocks, Pattambi block topped with 52.66 per cent polling by mid-day when Malampuzha block lagged behind with 48.12 per cent 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.
Power Minister K. Krishnankutty cast his vote along with his family at SNUP School, Nallamadan Challa, Vilayodi.
The CPI(M) alleged that an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) worker in Karimba panchayat attempted to poll a vote by impersonating. The IUML worker who polled his vote in a booth in ward 15 allegedly attempted to vote in another booth in ward 11. Police said they were investigating the CPI(M) complaint against Tajudheen.
United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate in ward 11 of Vandazhi panchayat, Sajita Vipin, accused that CPI(M) workers attacked her after barging into her house on Thursday morning. Her husband Vipin, mother Pankajam and 11-month-old child were injured in the attack.
Polling started on a brisk note at 7 a.m. as men and women reached the 3,054 polling booths in groups and alone. As many as 2,749 of the polling stations are in panchayats and 305 in municipalities. The district has 6,724 candidates in the fray.
The district has 20 distribution-cum-counting centre. Counting of votes will be held on Saturday. A total of 284 polling stations were marked sensitive.
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.
Additional officers were posted at all 180 web-cast sensitive booths. In 93 wards of six grama panchayats along the Tamil Nadu border, ballot labels also included candidates’ names in Tamil.
Published – December 11, 2025 03:06 pm IST
