Kerala Assembly polls: Voting percentage touches 77.35%

The voting percentage in the Assembly polls held in Kerala yesterday touched 77.35% with the northern district of Kozhikode recording the highest turnout in the state.

As per the final percentage released by the office of the Chief Electoral officer here this morning, Kozhikode recorded the highest voting percentage at 81.89%, while Pathnamthitta registered the lowest of 71.56%.

The strength of the electorate is 2.60 crore.

The Northern districts recorded polling percentage of above 75%-- Kasaragod (78.51%), Kannur (80.63%), Waynad (78.22%), Malappuram (75.83%), Palakkad (78.37%).

The hilly tribal dominated district of Idukki recorded only 73.59%, while in Thrissur it was 77.74%, Ernakulam (79.77%), Kottayam (76.90%) and Alapuzha (79.88%),Kollam (75.07%).

Thiruvananthapuram recorded only 72.53% voting.

The polling percentage in the 2011 Assembly polls was 75.11%.

The Congress led ruling UDF and CPI-M headed LDF Opposition were in a close fight in the state where BJP is trying its luck to open its maiden account in the assembly.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Opposition leader and 93-year-old CPI-M veteran V S Achuthanandan, CPI(M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan, 83-year-old Kerala Congress(M) supremo and former Finance Minister K M Mani were among the 1,203 candidates in the electoral arena.