Kerala local body bypolls: Counting begins at 10 am, first political test for Satheesan govt

Counting for the 38 local self-government wards in Kerala where by-elections were held will begin at 10 am on Tuesday, with the final results expected by noon.

The bypolls recorded a voter turnout of 58.81%, with 182,160 people casting their votes, including 84,070 men and 98,090 women. Kannur recorded the highest turnout at 84.55%, while Kottayam registered the lowest at 54.24%.

The polls are being closely watched as the first by-elections since the UDF government, led by V D Satheesan, came to power. The results are expected to be viewed as an indicator of the government's performance, with the key question being whether the UDF can sustain the gains it made in the local body and Assembly elections four months after assuming office.

The UDF highlighted the KSRTC Priyadarshini free travel scheme and Operation Toofan, its anti-narcotics drive, during the campaign. The Opposition, meanwhile, raised the issue of persistent power disruptions in Kerala in September. The CPM's efforts to course-correct after its heavy defeat in the Assembly elections will also be tested, as the party seeks to regain pro-LDF votes.

Of the 38 wards, the UDF currently holds 22, while the LDF holds 15. The by-elections, held based on the revised voters' list published on August 19, took place across 12 districts.

The polls covered two Corporation wards in Ernakulam and Kozhikode; three Municipality wards in Thrissur, Palakkad and Kannur; three District Panchayat wards in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam and Palakkad; seven Block Panchayat wards; and 23 Grama Panchayat wards.

The results are also expected to shape the political strategies of both the UDF and LDF in the coming months.