Kerala records over 74 per cent polling in assembly polls

Kerala has recorded 74.02 per cent voter turnout in the assembly elections as the polling for the state ended by 7 pm on Tuesday. In the 2016 assembly polls, Kerala had recorded 77.53 per cent.

Kozhikode has recorded the highest turnout with 77.9 per cent. The lowest turnout was in Pathanamthitta at 68.09 per cent. Thiruvananthapuram district which has a triangular fight on cards in many seats recorded 69.77 per cent. The Ernakulam district saw brisk polling with 74.12 per cent electorate casting votes.

According to the latest information available, 150 ballot units, 150 control units and 747 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were damaged during the election. In the Malappuram Lok Sabha by-election, four ballot units, four control units and 33 VVPAT machines were damaged.

At the state level, 0.33 per cent ballot units, 0.33 per cent control units and 1.6 per cent VVPAT had to be replaced due to malfunction. The ensured a smooth and fair election webcasting was done in 20478 booths.

Though there were widespread complaints about chances of bogus voting prior to polls, on polling day apart from few cases, there were no major complaints from parties.

Isolated incidents of violence were reported from few places in the state. Clashes between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) - Bharatiya Janata Party workers took place at Kattayikkonam, Kazhakkoottam in Thiruvananthapuram. Both parties blamed each other for instigating violence and have filed separate complaints against each other with the police.

Braving scorching sun people came out in large numbers in the initial half in various districts of the state to cast their votes. Some districts also witnessed intermediate rain that slowed down the voting process in the closing hours.

The elections to choose members of the 140-seat Kerala Legislative Assembly is witnessing a three-cornered fight between the incumbent CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front (LDF) which hopes for continuity of term, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Meanwhile, the voter turn-out for the Malappuram Lok Sabha by-election has reported 74.53 per cent, as per the latest figures available.

( With inputs from ANI )