Thiruvananthapuram: Polling for special elections at three local self-government wards in Kerala will be held on Monday, January 12, following the death of candidates, the State Election Commission said.

The elections will take place in Vizhinjam ward of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Payimpadam ward of Moothedam grama panchayat in Malappuram district, and Onakkur ward of Pampakuda grama panchayat in Ernakulam district.

Voting will be held from 7 am to 6 pm. Vizhinjam ward has 10 polling stations, while Payimpadam and Onakkur wards have one polling station each. Vizhinjam has a total of 13,307 voters, including 6,577 men, 6,729 women and one transgender voter. Payimpadam ward has 950 voters, comprising 462 men and 488 women. Onakkur ward has 1,183 voters, including 601 men and 582 women.

A total of nine candidates are contesting in Vizhinjam ward, while Payimpadam and Onakkur wards have four candidates each. Counting of votes will be held at the respective counting centres at 10 am on Tuesday, January 13.

The State Election Commission also said candidates must submit their election expense accounts to the respective local body secretaries on or before January 12. The Commission reiterated that candidates who contested the local body general elections and fail to submit their election expense accounts by Monday will be disqualified from continuing as members and from contesting future local body elections. The disqualification will be for five years from the date of the Commission’s order.

Expense accounts must be submitted online through the candidate registration portal on the State Election Commission website. Candidates may also submit the accounts directly to the respective local body secretaries along with copies of vouchers and bills, in the prescribed format.