Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], December 9 (ANI): Voting for the two-phased local body elections in Kerala started on Tuesday morning and CPI(M) MP John Brittas cast his vote at NSS Higher Secondary
School, Sasthamangalam, highlighting the significance of citizen participation in shaping Kerala’s development trajectory. Speaking to ANI, Brittas said that Kerala is on the path of development. “This is a celebration of grassroots democracy that we will not see anywhere else. The people themselves are discussing how to tread ahead. Their development issues, future, security, safety, and dignity are all being discussed. Kerala is now on the path of development. This trajectory needs to be kept up. And these local board elections would be a crucial step toward consolidating the gains and taking a step forward,” he said. State Election Commissioner A Shajahan today the first phase of polling was underway in seven districts and described the process as “peaceful”. According to official data for the local body polls, as of 9 am, the voting percentage for the Thiruvananthapuram corporation remains at 7.7 per cent, followed by 7.9 per cent in Kollam, and 9 per cent in Kochi. The districts include Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam. The local body polls are being held in these districts across the three-tier panchayat system, including gram and block panchayats, municipalities, and corporations. “It’s a peaceful polling process that has been going on at every polling station. The first phase of polling is being held in 7 districts. The state election commission has made all the arrangements for a peaceful polling process. We are hopeful for a good voter turnout,” the State Election Commissioner Shajahan told ANI. The SEC said polling in Vizhinjam, under the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, had to be discontinued after a candidate died just before the polls began. “In Vizhinjam, a municipality in Thiruvananthapuram, polling was to be done in 10 polling stations, but due to the demise of a candidate right before the commencement of polls, we had to discontinue the polling process there. The commission will freshly notify the election, and polling will be held accordingly,” he said. Elections are to be held in 1,199 of the total 1,200 local bodies in Kerala on December 9 and 11, with counting scheduled to be held on December 13. (ANI)
