By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Malappuram: Elections to the 22,000 local self government bodies in Kerala came to an end today amid some incidents of violence in the districts of Kannur, Kozhikode and Alappuzha. Prohibitory orders have been clamped in Iritti in Kannur district due to the continuing violence since Saturday. The Sangh Parivar organizations have decided to observe a hartal in Kannur and Mahe on Monday accusing that a RSS leader was stopped and attempt made on his life.
The first phase of elections was held on Saturday in seven districts and the second phase today in the remaining seven districts. The votes will be counted on Wednesday (October 27).
According to initial reports, 70% polling has been recorded in the second phase of elections today. Malappuram district, with most number of voters – 23.25 lakhs – also topped the voting percentage with 71%. Meanwhile, the UDF boycotted the re-polling held in three wards in Kannur district in protest against the ‘fraud voting and threatening of voters by the LDF’. Re-polling was held as smooth voting was barred by violence in the first phase on Saturday. Prohibitory orders have been clamped in the premises of seven police stations in Iritti in Kannur following the continuing violence which began on Saturday.
Around 1.23 crore voters in Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram cast their votes today to elect representatives to 698 local bodies. Re-polling was held in five wards in Kannur district where smooth voting was prevented by violence, seizing of ballot boxes and damaging the voting machine etc in the first phase on Saturday. Police force from Karnataka also is deployed in Kannur to help the state police maintain law and order. 41, 015 candidates are contesting to 12, 374 wards in the seven districts, where elections were held today, which include 9466 wards in village panchayats, 1215 in block panchayats, 178 to district panchayats, 1392 in municipalities and 129 in corporations.
Bombs were thrown at a bus stand and at policemen in Iritti in which four policemen were injured. Bombs were thrown at the house of a Congress member at Peringathur. Police had to lathicharge to disperse the Muslim League activists who were demonstrating at Nadapuram in Kozhikode. Bombs were thrown at two Muslim League leaders in Nadapuram last day and the party had observed a hartal there. The Kozhikode district Collector clamped prohibitory orders in the Nadapuram police station limits for three days. The demonstration was held when the prohibitory orders were in force. Six persons including a Sub-Inspector were injured in the violence over fraud votes in Alappuzha district.
Meanwhile, 75.33% polling has been recorded in the first phase of elections held on Saturday in seven districts. Certain incidents of violence were also reported from some places in Kannur district and around. Bombs were thrown at the police and at a bus station. The police had to fire three rounds to the sky to disperse the CPI (M)-BJP activists who fought with each other in Kannur.
Elections were rather peaceful in other districts but for some minor incidents.