Ernakulam district is set for polling for the local body elections with all preparations in place, District Collector G. Priyanka said here on Saturday (December 6, 2025), urging all voters to exercise their franchise.
Voting will be held at 3,021 polling stations spread over 2,220 wards of 111 local bodies in the district, the Collector said, explaining the preparedness two days ahead of the polling slated for December 9 in the first phase of the elections.
A total of 7,347 candidates are in the fray. Of them, 3,917 are women and 3,457 men. There are 26,67,746 voters in the district — 13,88,544 women, 12,79,170 men, and 32 transgender people.
ON POLL MODE
Polling- Dec. 9; 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
Stations- 3,021 across 2,220 wards
Voters- 26,67,746
Candidates- 7,347
Staff on duty- 14,544
As many as 7,490 ballot units and 3,036 control units have been commissioned and kept in strong rooms. Besides, 1,551 ballot units and 685 control units have been kept on reserve to meet emergency requirements.
The Collector said a total of 14,544 employees had been deployed for duties at polling stations. Apart from them, nearly 10,000 employees have been chosen for other poll-related works. For the distribution and collection of poll materials as well as vote counting, 28 centres will be set up. Spaces, mostly schools, have been identified for the purpose.
As many as 72 polling booths have been identified as ‘sensitive’ based on police reports. Voting in those stations will be webcast. Nearly 1,200 vehicles have been arranged for election related works.
Voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mock polling will be held at polling stations from 6 a.m. Public campaigns have to be stopped by 6 p.m. on Sunday (December 7, 2025).
3,125 cops in rural limits
As many as 3,125 police personnel will be deployed within Ernakulam rural limits, the police said in a communication. An additional force of 600 special police will also be on duty. There are 2,206 polling booths within the rural limits. Special patrol teams and personnel in plainclothes will also be deployed.
The police conducted route marches in all five divisions within the rural limits as part of ensuring security measures ahead of voting. Assistant Superintendent of Police Hardik Meena and Inspector Anilkumar T. Meppallil led the march in Kalady. Deputy Superintendent of Police T.R. Rajesh headed the march in Aluva.
Published – December 06, 2025 08:16 pm IST
