Kerala recorded 78.41 percent turnout in the 3rd and final stage of local self-government election in four districts on Monday. This is higher than the statistics recorded in phase 1 and 2.
According to the latest statistics, the polling percentage in districts is: Malappuram – 78.74 percent, Kozhikode – 78.67 percent, Kannur – 78.29 percent and Kasaragod – 76.95 percent.
69.84 percent polling was recorded in Kozhikode corporation while 70.94 percent polling was recorded in Kannur corporation. All four districts recorded better average voter turnout than what was recorded in 2015.
The counting is on Wednesday. Results of village panchayats will be announced by 11 am all results will be available around noon, said Election Commissioner V. Bhaskaran. Newly elected ward members and councillors will take oath on December 21. Dates for electing the presidents and vice presidents will be announced later.
Clashes were reported from several areas. At Theruvamparabu in Nadapuram, police fired grenades to disperse the crowd. Several people including police officers have been injured.
LDF and UDF activists clashed at Tanur in Malappuram and Kodathur in Perumbadappu. Former councillor Lamih Rahman and UDF candidate Suhara Ahammad were injured. Police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.
There were complaints of bogus voting at several booths in Kannur and Kasaragod. At Beypore in Kozhikode district, an elderly woman returning home after voting died of a heart attack.
After casting his vote in Kannur, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that LDF will register a historical victory. Meanwhile, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said that UDF will secure a historic win.
In most of the booths, a long queue of voters was found from the commencement of voting at 7 am itself. Meanwhile, polling was interrupted in some booths due to faulty voting machines.
The polling is held for 6,867 wards in 354 local self-government institutions. A total of 89.74 lakh voters including 42.87 lakh males, 46.87 lakh females and 86 transgenders will exercise their right to vote in the last phase of the polls.
The highest number of problematic booths were identified in this phase. Polling was conducted in these booths amid tight security.
Meanwhile, polling at Thathoorpoyyil in Mavoor panchayat of Kozhikode and Thilankeri in Kannur was cancelled due to demise of the candidates.
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