Polling is underway on Monday for special elections at three local self-government wards in Kerala following the deaths of the candidates. The elections are being held in the Vizhinjam ward of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the Payimpadam ward of Moothedam grama panchayat in Malappuram district, and the Onakkur ward of Pampakuda grama panchayat in Ernakulam district.

Voting began at 7 am and will continue until 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 the 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.

Election expense
The State Election Commission had said that the said candidates must submit their election expense accounts to the respective local body secretaries on or before Monday. It reiterated that candidates who contested the local body general elections and fail to submit their expense accounts by the deadline will be disqualified from continuing as members and from contesting future local body elections 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.