THRISSUR OCTOBER 25
Elections to 14 local bodies in Kerala would be held in two phases on October 23 and 25, the State Election Commission said today. As per the schedule, elections to civic bodies in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanthitta, Kozhikode, Waynad, Kannur and Kasargod will be held on October 23 and in Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram on October 25, State Election Commissioner P Kamalkutty told reporters here.Counting would take place on October 27 and new councils would assume charge on November 1, which marks Kerala Formation Day. There are 98 gram panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 59 Municipalities and five Corporations in Kerala.The SEC said nearly 40,000 polling booths would be in place to facilitate the exercise of franchise by nearly 2.25 lakh voters. Kamalkutty said more than 8,000 Electronic Voting Machines would be used in Municipalities and Corporations, while ballot boxes would be used in three-tier panchayats.A meeting of recognised political parties has been called on September 16 to discuss issues connected with the polls and the model code of conduct, which would come into effect immediately, he said. The code would, for the first time, include a provision that any campaigning by state, central and local body employees directly or indirectly would be considered a violation of the code, he said.Instructions have already been issued that places of worship should not be used for any kind of poll campaign, he said. Asked if reading out of pastoral letters in churches could be considered a violation of the model code, he said the Church has the right to do so, but not ask their followers to vote for a particular candidate.This election in Kerala is seen as a virtual semi-final contest between the CPI(M)-led ruling LDF and Congress-led UDF Opposition in the run up to the assembly elections in May this year.
