Thiruvananthapuram: Voting for the first phase of the Kerala local body elections commenced on Tuesday, marking the beginning of a crucial civic poll battle across the state. A total of 36,620 candidates are contesting for 11,167 wards in 595 local bodies across the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam.

Polling began at 7 am and will come to an end at 6 pm. Earlier in the day, a mock poll was conducted at 6 am as per the Election Commission’s schedule.

Voters in the grama panchayats and rural areas are required to cast three votes, while those in municipalities and corporations will cast a single vote. Heavy voter turnout is expected as citizens choose their representatives to local governance institutions.

The second phase o

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