Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Highlights: Polls phase 1 crosses 50% voting; UDF, LDF claim confidence of major win

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Polling Highlights: Polling for the first phase of the Kerala local body elections began at 7 am on Tuesday across seven districts -Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam.

Voters queuing up at a polling station in Ernakulam district. (Photo Credit: PRD, Kerala)Voters queuing up at a polling station in Ernakulam district. (Photo Credit: PRD, Kerala)

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voter Turnout Highlights: Polling in the first phase of Kerala’s local body elections recorded over 50% turnout by afternoon on Tuesday, seven hours after voting began. Elections were held in seven districts, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, and Ernakulam for more than 11000 wards across panchayats, municipalities, and three corporations. The polling began at 7 am, covering wards in 595 local bodies. The second phase of the elections will be held on December 11, and counting of votes will take place on December 13.

Union Minister Suresh Gopi casts vote: Union Minister Suresh Gopi cast his vote for the Kerala local body polls in Thiruvananthapuram. “The people will let us have the corporation to govern to their liking and work up their dreams for the city… We will set the track right…If all the promises that were made to people have gone in vain, there is a focus on my party and I think we are going to have it this time to the welfare and benefit of the people of Kerala through Thiruvananthapuram…,” said the union minister.

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Shashi Tharoor urges voters to participate actively: Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor urged voters to actively participate in the elections. “My appeal to voters in Kerala to cast their votes in the local self-government elections. I am sacrificing my attendance record in Parliament by heading there myself tomorrow afternoon to do so. We will be choosing those whose work affects the essentials of daily life in our towns and villages; roads, water, sanitation, electricity and more. I urge voters to support @udfkerala candidates on 9th and 11th December to bring about meaningful change in local governance,” he said on Monday.

Live Updates
Dec 9, 2025 07:11 PM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: BJP, CPI(M) clash over alleged fake voting by transgender persons in Vanchiyoor ward

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Tensions flared in Vanchiyoor during the first phase of local body polls after the BJP accused CPI(M) of enabling fake voting through transgender individuals, claiming there were no transgender voters on the ward's electoral rolls. The CPI(M) rejected the allegation, stating that the rolls were published multiple times and were accessible for verification. The dispute led to clashes between transgender persons and BJP cadres, on-road protests, and police intervention. Authorities have registered cases from both sides involving assault and use of obscene language, with statements currently being recorded. (PTI)

Dec 9, 2025 04:39 PM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Polls phase 1 crosses 50% voting; UDF, LDF claim confidence of major win

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Polling in the first phase of Kerala’s crucial local body elections recorded over 50% turnout by 2 pm on Tuesday, seven hours after voting began. Elections were held in seven districts, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, and Ernakulam for more than 11000 wards across panchayats, municipalities, and three corporations.

Actors Asif Ali and Renji Panicker, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, and political leaders, cast their votes early in the day. Both major alliances, the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF, expressed confidence in victory. The UDF claimed anti-incumbency, price rise, and hikes in utility rates had turned voters against the government. They also insisted that the party’s swift action against expelled MLA Rahul Mamkootathil would ensure minimal damage. (PTI)

Dec 9, 2025 02:24 PM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar cast his vote at Jawahar Nagar

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar cast his vote at Jawahar Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram as part of the ongoing electoral process. The Governor exercised his franchise and urged all eligible voters to come forward and participate wholeheartedly in the democratic process. He emphasised that active voter participation is essential to strengthening the democratic fabric of the nation.

Dec 9, 2025 12:51 PM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Congress leader AK Antony casts his vote

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Congress leader AK Antony casts his vote in local body polls.

Dec 9, 2025 12:10 PM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: 'Our candidate is a youth Congress person, but somebody who's well-connected to the local people,' says Shashi Tharoor

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: After casting his vote, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “The UDF and the Congress party have brought forward young candidates. Our candidate is a youth Congress person, but somebody who's well-connected to the local people. And for us to put forward young faces, new faces, is also a message. This is a time for change. And I've come to spoil my 100% attendance record in Parliament to vote for her, for the Congress, for the UDF to convey the message that change must come to Thiruvananthapuram.”

Dec 9, 2025 11:29 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor casts vote

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor casts vote at a polling booth in his constituency.

Dec 9, 2025 11:28 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: 'We hope we will get a minimum of 55 seats in the corporation,' says Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan said, "...In the last Lok Sabha election, there was no queue here, but this time there is a huge one, so they want a change... We hope we will get a minimum of 55 seats in the corporation. In other local bodies also, this time, UDF will make a comeback."

Dec 9, 2025 11:21 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: 'We are hopeful for a good voter turnout,' says State Election Commissioner A Shajahan

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: State Election Commissioner A. Shajahan said, "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... Polling is being carried out with the help of a token system... We are hopeful for a good voter turnout... In Vizhinjam, a municipality in Trivandrum, 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..."

Dec 9, 2025 11:17 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: State Election Commissioner A Shajahan casts his vote

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: State Election Commissioner A. Shajahan casts his vote at a polling booth for the local body elections being held in the state.

Dec 9, 2025 11:14 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: 'This election we will win without doubt,' says UDF Convenor Adoor Prakash

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: UDF Convenor Adoor Prakash says, "This election we will win without doubt. We have full confidence that UDF will win these elections..."

On the Sabarimala gold theft issue, he says, "The people will take up the Sabarimala issue, and it will be taken up separately."

On actor Dileep being acquitted in 2017 in the actress assault case, he says, "... He got justice from the court."

Dec 9, 2025 10:17 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: UDF Convenor Adoor Prakash casts his vote at a polling booth in Adoor

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: UDF Convenor Adoor Prakash casts his vote at a polling booth in Adoor for the local body elections underway in the state.

Dec 9, 2025 09:47 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar urges people to vote

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, "Elections are a celebration of our democracy... It this case, the local body elections are the occasion for people to think about their concerns and to caste a vote for their future. I appeal to all Malyalis to come out and vote in large numbers. Local body elections have traditionally seen low voter turnout, which is why there was no development or governance in the local body elections for many years... Voting can bring in change and the development people want... The real issues in these elections are what they face every day - roads, drinking water, garbage, sewage, drainage... People have given a chance to LDF and UDF many times and elections are a time to gauge what they did... If they give us opportunity, we will reverse years of misgovernance, corruption and no development..."

Dec 9, 2025 09:35 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: 'People are going let us have the cooperation to let us govern,' says BJP MP Suresh Gopi after casting his vote

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: BJP MP Suresh Gopi after casting his vote in Kerala Local Body polls, says, "People are going let us have the cooperation to govern to their likings and work up their dreams. Their long waiting dreams and wishes for their city for coming generations... we will set the track right."

Dec 9, 2025 09:29 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: John Brittas, MP, and Sreelekha IPS cast their vote

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: John Brittas, MP, and Sreelekha IPS were seen at a polling station in Thiruvananthapuram. Sreelekha, Kerala’s first woman IPS officer and former DGP, is contesting the elections on a BJP ticket.

Dec 9, 2025 09:27 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Former MP K Muraleedharan casts his vote

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Former MP K Muraleedharan cast his vote at the polling station in Thiruvananthapuram.

Dec 9, 2025 09:24 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar casts his vote- VIDEO

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar casts his vote for the Kerala local body elections at a polling booth in Jawaharnagar GLPS.

Dec 9, 2025 09:14 AM IST
Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: In Kerala, why Congress, CPM, BJP have joined hands to take on a corporate group’s party

Kerala Local Body Election 2025 Voting Live Updates: Politics often makes for strange bedfellows. In Kerala, as garment major Kitex Group’s party Twenty20 seeks to expand its political footprint in next week’s local body elections, the Congress, the CPI(M), and the BJP have buried their differences to take on the corporate group’s outfit on its home turf.

Kitex launched Twenty20 as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative in 2013 to transform the village of Kizhakkambalam, near Kochi, where it is located and employs thousands in its garment processing unit. It was formed following a longstanding battle with the Congress-ruled village panchayat that had refused the year before to renew the unit’s working licence, alleging it was contaminating water bodies with effluents from its dyeing and bleaching units, though an expert committee appointed by the High Court had found that its effluent treatment adhered to the pollution-control norms.Twenty20 won Kizhakkambalam in the 2015 elections and bagged three other nearby panchayats in Ernakulam district in the elections in 2020.

While the outfit is contesting 48 panchayats this time, including the four it already governs, in the local elections on December 9 and 11, the CPI(M), the Congress, and the BJP have launched common independent candidates to take it on in Kizhakkambalam. While Twenty20’s symbol is the mango, several Independent candidates also have other fruits as symbols.

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