Thaindian News

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 25 (IANS) Over 70 percent voting was recorded in local bodies elections in seven districts of Kerala Monday, officials said. Polling passed off mostly peacefully, barring skirmishes reported from a few places.

According to preliminary figures released by the State Election Commission, the poll percentage has crossed 70 percent, up from 62.71 percent in these districts in last edition of the polls in 2005.

In the first phase of the elections Oct 23 in seven districts, 75.33 percent voting was recorded.

Counting will be held Wednesday with Kerala set to become India’s first state to see women heading 50 percent (605) of the total 1,208 local bodies.

These include 489 gram panchayats, 76 block panchayats, seven district panchayats, 30 municipalities and three corporations in the state.

A State Election Commission spokesperson told IANS that the total seats for which polls was held was 21,612 and of these, 11,135 seats are kept for women.

“Of these, 8,613 seats would be the grama panchayats, 1,051 in block panchayats, 169 district panchayats, 1,121 in municipalities and 181 in the five corporations. The general rule is that in a panchayat if the total number of members is an odd number, then the total number of women would be one more than the men,” the spokesperson said.

A total of 70,915 candidates were in the fray. Electronic voting machines (EVMs) were being used only in corporations and municipalities, while traditional ballot papers are being used in the gram, block and district panchayats.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who cast his vote in his hometown in Punnapara in Alapuzha district, said the verdict would be in favour of the Left Democratic Front (LDF).

On the other hand, Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy, after he voted in his hometown Puthupally in Kottayam district, said the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) was sure to win.

The local bodies elections were last held in 2005 and since then all the five corporations in the state are being governed by the LDF, which is also in power in 11 of the 14 district panchayats, 33 of 53 municipalities, 114 of 152 block panchayats and 688 out of 984 gram panchayats as well.