Local body elections in the State will be held in three phases in the first half of December, the State Election Commission (SEC) V. Bhaskaran has said. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki districts will go to the polls on December 8; Ernakulam, Kottayam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad on December 10; and Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod on December 14. The voting time is 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Counting of votes will be on December 16. The new elected councils will take charge before Christmas.

The last date for filing nominations is November 19. Scrutiny will be on November 20 and the last date of withdrawal is November 23. The counting of votes will be on December 16. Bhaskaran said voters who are Covid positive can exercise their franchise through postal ballots and should inform the polling officials three days before the election. He said the model code of conduct would come into effect from today. Bhaskaran said the Commission had held talks with the state police chief, health secretary and various political parties before finalizing the dates for the election. The Health director had said there was no harm in conducting the polls as per strict covid protocol.

Three-phase polls to local bodies were held once earlier several years ago, he said, adding the decision to do so this time was due to the present situation brought about by the spread of the coronavirus. Exuding confidence, all the three fronts-- the ruling CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front, the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front and the BJP claimed that they would win the local body polls this time.

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