Thiruvananthapuram: The State Election Commission has announced that officials assigned polling duty in the upcoming Kerala local body elections must submit their applications for postal votes—either by post or through the presiding officer—ensuring they reach the authorities at least seven days before polling day.

Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, and Ernakulam districts will go to the polls on December 9, while the remaining districts will vote on December 11.

For the three-tier panchayat elections, separate applications must be submitted for each ballot. For corporations and municipalities, one application must be submitted per ballot. If officials attend polling-duty training in the same district where they are registered voters, the respective District Collectors are responsible for arranging the receipt of the required applications.

These applications must then be handed over to the presiding officers on the same day. The Commission has also instructed authorities to coordinate with the Postal Department to ensure that postal ballots are received by 8 am on December 13, the counting day.