Local body polls in Kerala to be held in three phases from December 8

The local body polls in Kerala will be held in three phases from December 8 adhering to strict Covid-19 protocol, State Election Commissioner V Bhaskaran said here on Friday

: The local body polls in

Kerala will be held in three phases from December 8 adhering to strict COIVD-19 protocol, State Election Commissioner V Bhaskaran said here on Friday.

While the first phase on December 8 will be held in five districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathnamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki, the second will be on December 10 at Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad.

The third phase on December 14 will be in the remaining four districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod, Bhaskaran told reporters here.

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 daysbefore the election.

He said the model code of conduct would come into effect from today.

An electorate of over 2.71 crore will exercise their franchise to elect representatives to 941 gram panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 86 municipalities and six municipal corporations.