Voting for Phase 2 of 604 Kerala local body elections begins

Voting for the second and final phase of Kerala’s crucial three-phase local body elections began on Thursday morning, December 11, 2025, in seven northern districts of the state.

More than 1.53 crore voters are eligible to vote to elect representatives of hundreds of local self-government institutions.

​The election process, which covers the northern belt of the state (Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod), started at 7 am and is scheduled to continue till 6 pm. Voters in the queue during the closing time will be allowed to vote.

​This vote follows the first phase of voting in the southern regions on 9 December. The current round is a risky affair, especially for major political fronts such as the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which are fighting for control of the local government.

A total of 38,994 candidates are competing for seats at various levels in the contest today. Today, as many as 604 local bodies, including 470 grama panchayats, 77 block panchayats, seven district panchayats, 47 municipalities and three corporations (Kozhikode, Kannur and Thrissur), are in the fray.

Security arrangements have been tightened with the State Election Commission identifying over 2,000 booths as sensitive or critical, especially in Kannur and Malappuram districts.

​Voting personnel deployed at 18,274 stations conducted mock voting on Electronic Voting Machines an hour before the start of voting to confirm their readiness and ensure transparency in the process.

​The counting of votes for both phases of the local elections will be held on December 13.