Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 13 (UNI) Counting of votes for the 2025 Kerala local body elections began on Saturday morning across the state, with officials tallying ballots at 244 designated counting centres amid tight security arrangements.
Counting commenced at 8 am, starting with postal ballots, followed by votes recorded on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The first round of results and trends is expected to emerge around 8.30 am, while officials indicated that the complete results are likely to be available by midday.
The elections, held in two phases on December 9 and 11, covered all tiers of local self-government institutions, including gram panchayats, block panchayats, district panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporations. Ward-wise leads and final outcomes are being updated in real time as counting progresses.
The State Election Commission (SEC) reported an overall voter turnout of 73.69 percent, marking the highest participation recorded in Kerala’s local body elections. The second phase alone registered a turnout of 76.08 percent, reflecting strong public engagement.
A total of 21,079,609 voters exercised their franchise in 2025, an increase of 73,866 voters compared to the 2020 local body polls, excluding postal ballots. The number of registered voters rose to 28,607,658 from 27,656,910 in 2020.
District-wise turnout figures showed Wayanad recording the highest participation at 78.29 percent, followed by Malappuram (77.37 percent) and Kozhikode (77.27 percent). Thiruvananthapuram district recorded a turnout of 67.47 percent. In municipal corporations, turnout ranged from 58.29 percent in Thiruvananthapuram to 70.33 percent in Kannur.
The SEC has made live counting data available through its TREND platforms, providing ward-wise and booth-level updates as results are uploaded directly from counting centres. Officials cautioned that while early leads may appear quickly, final outcomes could take longer as postal ballots and EVM data are fully verified and processed.
Postal ballots for the 14 district panchayats are being counted at the respective Collectorates under the supervision of District Collectors. At counting halls, EVM control units are being opened only after verification of seals and special tags in the presence of Returning Officers, election observers, candidates and their authorised agents. Results are being recorded tier-wise and announced after both postal and EVM votes are tallied for each ward.
Ahead of counting, the SEC urged candidates and political parties to maintain restraint in celebrations, noting that the Model Code of Conduct remains in force until December 18. The Commission reiterated that the use of loudspeakers in public spaces or in a manner that obstructs traffic is prohibited, and that fireworks are permitted only in accordance with legal provisions, with strict adherence to green protocol and noise-control norms.
The local body elections involved 23,576 wards and determined representatives to 1,199 local bodies. After scrutiny and withdrawals, 72,005 candidates remained in the fray, including 37,786 women, 34,218 men and one transgender candidate.
The results are widely seen as a key indicator of grassroots political sentiment in Kerala, with the performance of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), United Democratic Front (UDF) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) closely watched ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
As counting continues through the day, Kerala awaits a clearer picture of how its local self-government landscape has been reshaped by the 2025 polls.
Counting begins for Kerala local body polls
