Kerala - Kottayam   

Polling above 60 per cent in many districts

Staff Reporter

Chandy casts his vote in Puthupally; Alappuzha records top polling of 68 per cent

KOTTAYAM: Polling in Kottayam registered a drastic fall from the 73 per cent it registered five years ago to the tentative figure of 61 per cent on Saturday. The election was conducted peacefully, barring minor law and order issue mostly between United Democratic Front (UDF) activists and Democratic Indira Congress-Karunakaran (DIC-K) loyalists.

At the time of filing this report, the polling figures for the various municipalities is as follows: Pala: 66.3 per cent; Kottayam: 62; Vaikom: 60 and Changanassery: 57.

According to election authorities, the percentage of polling at the 11 blocks were as follows: Vaikom 70; Kaduthuruthy, Ettumanur, Lalam, Erattupetta and Kanjirappally 60 each; Pampady, 70; Vazhoor 71.4; Pallom 60.5 and Madappally 65. Figures were not available for Vazhoor.

The polling started off on a slow note with less than 20 per cent votes polled for the first two hours. However, it picked after that only to slow down again following light showers in many places. In Kumarakom area, the farm labourers voted during the early hours itself.

An atmosphere of tension prevailed in Pala municipal area as a DIC-K candidate was manhandled by UDF activists. In Kuravilangad, the DIC-K activists and UDF loyalists came to blows. Polling in Kurichy area remained low following a boycott call by Dalit organisations.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy came along with his family to vote at MD UP School, Puthuppally, while Revenue Minister K.M. Mani cast his vote at the polling station at Alphonsa College, Pala. P.C. George, MLA and leader of the Kerala Congress (Secular), cast his vote at the polling station at Government Higher Secondary School, Erattupetta.

68 per cent in Alappuzha

As many as 68 per cent of the total voters cast their votes in the elections to the various local bodies in Alappuzha district held on Saturday.

The election was by and large peaceful in the district except for some stray incidences of violence.

The voting began on a dull note in the district. Long queue of voters, which was a regular feature in the polling booths in the coastal areas of the district, was absent in the morning. Only nine per cent of the voters cast their vote in the first two hours of voting. The voting became brisk in the afternoon. The polling rose to 57 per cent by 3 p.m.

According to an official release, the polling percentage many go up slightly when the final calculations were completed. The United Democratic Front (UDF) has complained that the Left Democratic Front workers intimidated the UDF workers and polling agents in six booths in Kainakary panchayat in the district. In Alappuzha town also a minor incident of altercation was reported from the Avalookkunnu ward.

The District Collector has cancelled the election in the polling booth number two of ward number 16 of the Thuravoor grama panchayat in the district following discrepancy in the identity of the voters.

Thrissur turnout

About 62 to 65 per cent of the electorate in Thrissur district turned out to cast their votes in the local body elections held on Saturday, according to early reports.

The estimated voter turnout in the elections to the Corporation, municipalities, block and grama panchayats is 54, 64, 59, 62 per cent respectively.

The estimated voter turnout in the municipalities is: Chalakudy (67.2 per cent); Irinjalakuda (58.4 per cent); Kodungallur (65.85 per cent); Guruvayur (60.3 per cent), Chavakkad (65 per cent); and Kunnamkulam (64 per cent).

The voter turnout in 17 block panchayats is estimated to be: Chavakkad (61 per cent); Chovannur (56 per cent); Vadakkanchery (62 per cent); Pazhayannur (63 per cent); Ollukkara (55 per cent); Puzhakkal (62 per cent); Thalikkulam (58 per cent); Mullassery (65 per cent) Anthicaud (61 per cent); Cherpu (52 per cent); Kodakara (55 per cent); Irinjalakuda (60 per cent); Vellangallur (59 per cent); Mathilakom (54 per cent); Kodungallur (65 per cent); Mala (52 per cent); and Chalakudy (60 per cent).

Peaceful in Idukki

Barring minor glitches in the early hours of the polling, the elections in Idukki district was peaceful. The polling percentage has been tentatively pegged at 61. However, authorities say the figure may be a little higher. The percentage of polling in the last PRI elections here was 72.54. Based on information from 23 of the 32 wards in Thodupuzha municipality, the polling in the region has been put at 69.85.

In more than one place in the Munnar -Devikulam area, the polling process began only at 10.45 a.m. as the ballot papers were brought in late.

At Vandiperiyar, the polling officer was found travelling in the vehicle provided by a trade union and was taken into custody.

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Polling above 60 per cent in many districts

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