Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 7 (NationPress) The campaigning phase for the initial round of Kerala's critical local body elections is set to conclude on Sunday evening, paving the way for voting in seven districts on December 9.

This election is viewed as a significant political indicator ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, with the two-phase civic polls igniting a vigorous and dynamic campaign across the state.

State Election Commissioner A. Shajahan has urged all political entities to ensure their last day of campaigning does not impede public movement or inconvenience travelers.

Authorities in several districts have established restrictions to manage crowd sizes, procession paths, and the use of loudspeakers as part of enhanced security measures for the campaign's conclusion.

The first round of voting is scheduled for Tuesday in the southern districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, and Ernakulam.

The remaining seven districts, namely Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur, Wayanad, and Kasaragod, will participate in the electoral process on December 11.

Vote counting for all 1,199 local bodies throughout Kerala will occur on December 13.

Official statistics indicate that approximately 1.32 crore voters will determine the political fate of 75,632 candidates vying for positions across 23,576 wards in village panchayats, block panchayats, district panchayats, municipalities, and corporations statewide.

With merely a day remaining before the first voting round, the three dominant political alliances—the CPM-led LDF, the Congress-led UDF, and the BJP-led NDA—have expressed optimism about achieving a majority within Kerala's three-tier local governance framework.

The ruling CPI(M)-led LDF has centered its campaign on the state government's welfare initiatives and development projects, while the Congress-led UDF has focused on accusations of corruption, mismanagement, and what they describe as the Left government's financial excess.

The BJP has concentrated its efforts on pledges of local development, upgrading infrastructure, and securing increased central support for civic bodies.

However, the campaign has faced controversy.

The LDF encountered political embarrassment following incidents linked to a gold theft at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple, resulting in the arrest of senior CPI(M) leader and former Travancore Devaswom Board President A. Padmakumar.

In contrast, the UDF was shaken by allegations of rape and forced abortion against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who was subsequently expelled from Congress as the elections approached.

Moreover, the BJP faced challenges due to internal conflicts and organizational issues in various constituencies.

As the campaigning phase concludes on Sunday, stringent security measures and strict adherence to the Model Code of Conduct are anticipated to facilitate peaceful polling on Tuesday.