Thiruvananthapuram: The second phase of polling in the crucial local body elections commenced in seven districts of Kerala on Thursday morning.

Voters began casting ballots from 7 am at the 18,274 polling stations in the districts of Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod.

Polling will conclude at 6 pm.

The local body polls are viewed by many as a key indicator ahead of next year's state assembly elections.

In the second phase, over 1.53 crore voters will elect representatives to 12,931 wards across 604 local bodies, including grama panchayats, block panchayats, district panchayats, municipalities and corporations.

A total of 38,994 candidates are in the fray.

The first phase of polling in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottay

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