The district witnessed a high voter turnout in the local body polls on Tuesday. 77.13% of 17. 82 lakh voters exercised their franchise when polling closed at 6 p.m.
The polling percentage is likely to go up slightly as the State Election Commission is yet to release the final figures. In 2015 local body polls, the district recorded 80.49% voter turnout.
The polling was peaceful and largely incident-free, barring minor technical snags in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at a few polling booths. The machines that developed glitches were promptly replaced and voting continued unabated.
Brisk start
The polling started at 7 a.m. on a brisk note with 15% voter turnout registered by 9 a.m. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic threat, voters turned out in large numbers and formed serpentine queues outside polling booths in different parts of the district as the day progressed.
By 12.30 p.m. 44.8% of the electorate had cast their vote. All voters who reached the polling station by 6 p.m. were allowed to exercise their franchise. Those voters who tested positive for COVID-19 after 3 p.m. on December 7 and those in quarantine too were allowed to cast their ballots in accordance with COVID-19 protocols.
A 62-year-old man who came to cast his vote at a booth in SNDP Higher Secondary School, Mahadevikadu collapsed and died. The deceased was identified as Balan. A polling agent of an Independent candidate at CMS LP School in Palace ward of Alappuzha municipality was ousted after he tried to canvass votes.
Around 125 voters of Manaladi- Madathiparambil Colony in Ramankary boycotted the elections in protest against the lack of a motorable road to their colony.
Ministers cast vote
Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, Food and Civil Supplies Minister P. Thilothaman, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and A.M. Ariff, MP, cast votes at their respective booths.
As many as 5,462 candidates are in the fray in the district. These include 82 candidates for district panchayat, 789 for six municipalities, 508 for 12 block panchayats and 4,083 for 72 grama panchayats.
The counting of votes will take place on December 16.
