Kozhikode records 77.24% voter turnout in local body polls

Kozhikode recorded a poll percentage of 77.24 as the second phase of the local body polls in the State drew to a close in the district on Thursday.

According to official sources, a total of 20,72,137 of the total 26,82,682 voters exercised their franchise. As many as 9,52,063 male voters and 11,20,065 female voters and nine transgender voters participated in the electoral process.

The polling reported in the Kozhikode Corporation was 69.55%. Among the municipalities, Ramanattukara recorded the highest polling percentage of 81.39. The lowest was in Payyoli municipality at 76.53%.

The figure for Koyilandy is 77.8%, Vadakara 77.27%, Feroke 77.08%, Koduvally 77.11%, and Mukkom 79.29%. The turnout for the Kozhikode district panchayat was 79.06%. Among block panchayats, Perambra recorded the highest at 81.46%.

Voters from Kakkathuruthi, an islet near Chaliyam, Kozhikode, return to their homes in a country boat after casting their votes at Haji PBM English Medium School in Chaliyam. There are 10 voters in eight houses in Kakkathuruthi.
| Photo Credit:
K. Ragesh

The elections were held in 91 local bodies – Kozhikode Corporation, seven municipalities, 70 grama panchayats, 12 block panchayats, and the district panchayat. A total of 3,097 polling stations were set up in the district.

In the 2020 polls, the district had recorded a voter turnout of 79.2% while in 2015 polls, it was 77.64%, and in 2010, it was 77.07%.

Eighty-year-old Krishnan being carried to the polling booth at Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls, Nadakkavu, in Kozhikode to cast his vote on Thursday.
| Photo Credit:
K. Ragesh

The polling began on a brisk note in the district at 7 a.m. Within an hour, 4.26% of voters exercised their franchise. Technical issues related to the malfunctioning of electronic voting machines were reported in the initial hours in Thiruvambady and Karassery grama panchayats. Election officials said such issues were addressed without wasting time. The polling percentage went up to 40.92% by noon. With barely two hours remaining, the voter turnout touched 66.63 % by 4 p.m. Though the early trends suggested that the polling percentage may be higher compared with the previous years, the figure stabilised as the day went on.

Among the public figures who voted in Kozhikode district included Minister for Public Works P.A. Mohamed Riyas, Minister for Forest and Wildlife A.K. Saseendran, actor Joy Mathew, social critic M.N. Karassery, Sunni leader Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar, M.K. Raghavan, Kozhikode MP, and District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh.

People wait to cast their votes at AMLP School in Moozhikkal, Kozhikode, on Thursday.
| Photo Credit:
K. Ragesh

Counting of votes will be held at 20 centres on Saturday. Postal ballots will be counted first, which will be followed by the votes cast in electronic voting machines.