Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 10 (NationPress) The local body elections in Kerala, regarded as a “semi-final” leading up to the 2026 Assembly elections, are scheduled to occur in two phases on December 9 and 11, with the counting of votes set for December 13.

As per the State Election Commission (SEC), A. Shahjahan, all necessary arrangements have been completed, and the Model Code of Conduct is now in effect throughout the state.

The election notification will be released on November 14, with nomination submissions starting on November 21, scrutiny on November 22, and withdrawal on November 24.

Counting will commence on December 13 at 8 a.m., and all electoral processes will conclude by December 18, enabling the new councils to take office by December 21, marking the end of the current term.

On December 9, polling will take place in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, and Ernakulam, while the second phase on December 11 will cover Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts.

Voting will occur in 1,199 local bodies, with the exception of Mattannur Municipality, where elections will be held at a later date.

In total, there are 23,576 wards participating in the elections, with 33,746 polling stations, 1,37,922 ballot units, and 50,691 control units prepared for use.

Around 1.8 lakh officials will be assigned for polling duties, supported by 70,000 police personnel, bringing the total staff strength to nearly 2.5 lakh, according to Shahjahan.

The final voters’ list published on October 25 shows 1.33 crore men, 1.49 crore women, and 271 transgender individuals. Malappuram district has the highest electorate with 35.7 lakh voters, while Wayanad has the least at 6.4 lakh.

These elections are viewed as a vital precursor to the 2026 Assembly polls, as they will gauge the strength of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the revival chances of the United Democratic Front (UDF), while the BJP aims to increase its presence in urban areas.

The LDF currently manages five of the six corporations -- Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, Thrissur, and Kollam -- with the UDF holding control over Kannur.

The LDF administers 571 gram panchayats, 113 block panchayats, and 11 district panchayats, while the UDF oversees 351 grama panchayats, 38 block panchayats, and three district panchayats.

The NDA leads in 12 gram panchayats, and Independents in seven.

In municipalities, the LDF controls 44, the UDF 41, and the BJP two -- Palakkad and Pandalam.

The UDF has already announced several candidates at the ward level, including K.S. Sabarinadhan as its Mayoral candidate for Thiruvananthapuram.

The BJP, which has nominated former DGP R. Sreelekha and ex-Asian Games medalist Padmini Thomas, has faced internal dissent from its ally BDJS regarding seat-sharing.

As of now, the CPI(M) has not released its candidate list.

State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar stated that these elections present an opportunity for voters to “choose change for a new Kerala.”

“The previous governments of the Left and Congress are evident to all. Now is the time for the people to seek change, and soon our entire candidate list will be revealed,” added Chandrasekhar.

The Left convenor, T.P. Ramakrishnan, expressed confidence, stating they are fully prepared for the elections that could pave the way for a third consecutive Left government in the state.

Meanwhile, Congress president Sunny Joseph declared their readiness to excel in the upcoming semi-finals.