District Collector V.R. Vinod (fourth from left) and District Police Chief R. Viswanath releasing the election guide prepared by the Information and Public Relations department in Malappuram on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: SAKEER HUSSAIN
Extensive arrangements have been put in place in the district for Thursday’s local body elections. A large majority of the 36.18 lakh voters is expected to turn out at polling booths from 7 a.m. onwards to elect their representatives to the three-tier panchayats and the municipalities. Polling will continue until 6 p.m.
Elections are being held for 2,789 wards across 122 local bodies, including 12 municipalities, 15 block panchayats and 94 grama panchayats, the highest number in any district in the State. A total of 8,381 candidates are in the fray, three times the number of seats.
District Collector V.R. Vinod and District Police Chief R. Viswanath said here on Tuesday that 20,848 officials and nearly 7,000 security personnel would be on duty for the polling.
Polling in Ward-7 of Moothedam panchayat has been postponed following the death of a candidate.
Poll materials will be distributed on Wednesday morning from 27 centres spread across 15 blocks and 12 municipalities in the district.
The electorate in Malappuram district comprises 18,78,520 women, 17,40,280 men, and 51 transgender persons. As many as 29.91 lakh voters are in 94 grama panchayats, while 6.27 lakh voters are spread across 12 municipalities. There are 517 expatriate voters in the grama panchayats and 85 in the municipalities.
As many as 4,343 polling stations have been set up in the district. While 3,777 of them are in panchayats, 566 are in municipalities. Webcasting will be done from 295 booths. While 277 of them are sensitive booths, 18 are hypersensitive.
As many as 15,260 ballot units and 5,600 control units will be used for voting in the district. While 14,490 ballot units and 4,830 control units will be in panchayats, 770 ballot and control units will be used in municipalities.
Of the 20,848 polling officials, 4,343 will serve as presiding officers, 4,343 as first polling officers and 8,686 as polling officers. In addition, there will be a reserve force comprising 869 presiding officers, 869 first polling officers and 1,738 polling officers.
Mr. Viswanath said about 7,000 police personnel would be on security duty in the district. While 2,000 personnel will be from the district, about 3,000 will be from battalions in other districts. Apart from the local police, personnel of the Crime Branch, Vigilance, Excise, Forest, Motor Vehicles department, Fire and Rescue Services, and Home Guard will be on duty.
Prohibition has been imposed in the district from Tuesday 6 p.m. to Thursday 6 p.m. There will be enhanced security for the 27 distribution-reception centres.
Mr. Vinod released an election guide brought out by the Information and Public Relations department on Tuesday. The guide contains election-related information, including model code of conduct, green protocol, election duties, counting centres, civic bodies, number of voters, reserved wards, and party positions in 2020 local body elections.
Published – December 09, 2025 07:34 pm IST
