Stephen Kayyar

Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, Nov 2: Polling for local bodies election began all over the state since morning on Monday November 2.

People are exercising their franchise to elect their representatives for local bodies in seven districts of Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Idukki, Kozhikode Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod are the districts where polling is being held today. In other districts, local bodies election will be conducted on November 5.

In addition to gram panchayats, elections are also being held for block panchayats and zilla panchayats, people will be electing their representatives for municipalities too today. A total of 2,651 candidates are in the fray, and 9,52,163 voters will be exercising their right to vote. Among them, polling by first time voters is expected to be decisive in deciding the winners.

In the district, election is being held for 38 gram panchayats, six block panchayats, zilla panchayats and three municipalities. For supervising law and order situation, 3030 personnel from different police forces have been deployed all over the district. 30 personnel of Anti Naxal Force, and additional police forces from outside the district and Karnataka have been summoned. In polling booths considered as sensitive, para military forces have been stationed.