Thiruvananthapuram: The draw to finalise reservation wards for the upcoming local body elections will be conducted across Kerala between October 13 and 21, State Election Commissioner A Shajahan said on Tuesday. He was addressing a review meeting with district collectors.

In corporations, the draw will be held on October 17 in Thiruvananthapuram (covering Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram), on October 18 in Kochi (Thrissur and Kochi), and on October 21 (Kozhikode and Kannur). These will be conducted by the Director of Urban Affairs. For municipalities, the respective Joint Directors of the Local Self-Government Department will oversee the process on October 16.

The schedule for panchayats is as follows: grama panchayats from October 13 to 16, block panchayats on October 18, and district panchayats on October 21. District collectors have been authorised to conduct these draws. A detailed notification with dates and venues will be issued soon.

The Commissioner instructed officials to complete preparatory work on time, including ward reservations, voter list revision, reorganisation of polling stations, and staff training. Another round of electoral roll revision will be announced soon.

Training for Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers will be held across districts between October 7 and 10. District-level officers will be trained on September 25, local body secretaries via online sessions on September 26, and master trainers in Thiruvananthapuram on September 29 and 30.

To streamline election duties, the Commission has asked the Chief Secretary to freeze government employee transfers from October 3. All activities will follow the Green Protocol, with Kudumbashree, Haritha Karma Sena, and Clean Kerala Company ensuring eco-friendly practices.