Kerala civic polls; Repolling in 114 booths in Malappuram, Thrissur districts

Repolling began in 114 booths in Malappuram and Thrissur districts this morning after Electronic Voting Machines developed snags in the second phase of local body polls in seven districts of Kerala.

Technical snags were reported this morning from some other booths in the two districts as well, but they were rectified soon, official sources said.

The repolling is being held in 105 booths in Malappuram and nine in Thrissur districts.

State Election Commissioner K Sasidharan Nair had said that it was "unnatural" that so many EVMs had developed the snag in the "press button" during the voting process.

Approximately 77 per cent of polling was reported in the second phase yesterday.
 

Voting had been allowed till 7pm yesterday in some booths in Malappuram district where EVMs had malfunctioned.

A total of 44,388 candidates were in the fray for 12,651 seats in Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram.

Two corporations -- Kochi and Thrissur, and 55 municipalities, 576 gram panchayats, 89 block panchayats and seven district panchayats are among the local bodies where second phase of polling was held.

The first phase of the polls was held on November 2 in Kasargod, Kozhikode, Kannur, Idukki, Kollam, Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram.

Counting of votes will be held on November 7.