Preparations under way for local body polls later this year
With ward delimitation in local bodies entering Phase II in Kerala, preparations are also under way for the crucial 2025 local body elections scheduled for later this year.
The State Election Commission has kicked off training sessions for officials responsible for preparing the electoral rolls and conducting the elections. The Commission is proceeding with the idea of holding the polls during November-December as the five-year terms of 1,199 local bodies expires in December, sources said.
As part of the preparations, the Commission will shortly launch the training sessions for the Electoral Registration Officers (ERO). In grama panchayats and municipalities, the local body secretaries are the EROs. In municipal corporations, the post is handled by additional secretaries. Earlier this, year, the Commission had completed the training of State-level resource persons.
Once the State Delimitation Commission completes the delimitation of wards, the EROs will need to revise the electoral rolls and reposition the population in line with the changes necessitated by the ward delimitation and voter limits set by the Commission for polling stations. This rearrangement is likely to see an increase in the number of polling stations as the Commission has set a cap of 1,300 voters per station in the rural areas and 1,600 in the urban areas.
While the number of local bodies remain unchanged, the wards in the three-tier panchayats, municipalities and corporations have increased from 21,900 to 23,612.
The 2025 local body elections will be a keenly-watched one as they will be held after a comprehensive, Statewide ward delimitation, and ahead of the 2026 elections to the Kerala Legislative Assembly. In 2020, the elections were held to 1,199 local bodies (except the Mattannur municipality) in three phases on December 8, 10 and 14 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Delimitation Commission, headed by State Election Commissioner A. Shajahan, on Wednesday issued the final notification on the delimited wards in the grama panchayats. The delimitation exercise has entered Phase II in which the boundaries of the 152 block panchayats are being redrawn. The third and final phase will cover the district panchayats.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
15 minutes ago
- Time of India
11 years of Modi government: Congress hits out at BJP; calls its regime at Centre 'dictatorship'
NEW DELHI: As Bharatiya Janata Party completed 11 years at the Centre, Congress took the opportunity to recount the 'shortcomings' of the central government. Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP and the RSS of undermining constitutional institutions termed the saffron party's regime a "dictatorship". "The Modi government has wasted the last 11 years in rubbing the ink of dictatorship on every page of the Constitution!" Kharge said. "BJP-RSS weakened every constitutional institution and attacked their autonomy. Whether it was stealing public opinion and toppling governments through the back door or forcibly imposing one-party dictatorship. During this period, the rights of the states were ignored and the federal structure was weakened," he added. He further accused the Centre of "weakening the democracy, economy and social fabric." "There are continuous efforts to spread hatred, threats and fear in the society. The exploitation of Dalits, tribals, backward, minority and weaker sections has increased continuously. The conspiracy to deprive them of reservation and equal rights continues. The unending violence in Manipur is the biggest proof of the administrative failure of the BJP," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo "BJP-RSS made the country's GDP growth rate habituated to 5-6%, which used to be 8% on average during UPA. Instead of the promise of 2 crore jobs every year, crores of jobs were taken away from the youth. Due to inflation, public savings were the lowest in 50 years and economic inequality was the highest in 100 years," he added. He also addressed the demonetisation, GST and the Covid lockdown situation which hit the unorganised sector directly. "Demonetisation, wrong GST, unplanned lock-down and by hammering the unorganised sector, the future of crores of people was ruined. Make in India, Startup India, Stand up India, Digital India, Namami Gange, 100 SMART Cities all failed. Railways were ruined. Only the ribbons of the infrastructure built by Congress-UPA were cut," he said. 'Why is PM Modi avoiding presser?' Questioning the central government's decision to send BJP president JP Nadda to address a press conference on the completion of 11 years of Modi regime, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "why is the Prime Minister still avoiding it? Is he still taking time to memorise the questions and answers? Or are such 'favourable' faces being searched who will ask questions, but in a completely obedient posture? Or is Bharat Mandapam not fully ready yet?" "Yesterday, we had given an open challenge to the Prime Minister to hold an unscripted and unprescribed Q&A press conference for the first time on the occasion of his completion of 11 years in power. But today BJP President JP Nadda has come forward, who has been sent to talk to the press at 12 noon, so that the 'achievements' of these 11 years can be trumpeted," he said.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
"Golden Era Of Public Service": Amit Shah On 11 Years Of PM Modi-Led Government
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday described the last 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership as a "golden period" of dedicated public service, marked by significant strides in economic revival, social justice, cultural resurgence, and national security. In a post on X, Amit Shah wrote, "The historic 11 years of the Modi Government have been a golden period of resolve, endeavour and dedication towards public service." मोदी सरकार के ऐतिहासिक 11 वर्ष जनसेवा के संकल्प, साधना और समर्पण का स्वर्णिम कालखंड रहे हैं। #11YearsOfSeva में देश ने आर्थिक पुनरुत्थान, सामाजिक न्याय, सांस्कृतिक गौरव और राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा का एक नया युग देखा है। मोदी सरकार ने यह सिद्ध कर दिया कि जब नेतृत्व स्पष्ट, संकल्प अडिग… — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 9, 2025 "#11YearsOfSeva The country has seen a new era of economic revival, social justice, cultural pride and national security. The Modi government has proved that when the leadership is clear, the resolve is firm and the intention is of public service, then new records of service, security and good governance are created," the post reads. Narendra Modi first took oath as the Prime Minister of India on May 26, 2014, and is currently serving his third consecutive term. Marking the occasion, the Union government also released a comprehensive e-book detailing achievements across various sectors over the past 11 years. The year 2025 marks 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. The book said that these 11 years have been dedicated to bringing about development that is inclusive, progressive, and sustainable. "The government under Prime Minister Modi has been steadfast in its commitment to creating equity and opportunity for all citizens," it added. "PM Modi has brought the politics of development - Vikasvaad - into the mainstream, making it the focal point around which political discourse and policy action now revolve," it reads. The book said that since assuming office in 2014, PM Modi has remained firm in his resolve to keep 'India First' in every policy formulation and action. It added that the resolve is evident in the government's handling of both external and internal security, economic management, empowerment schemes for marginalised groups, efforts at cultural conservation and so on. Highlighting the government's steps in handling COVID-19, the book said, "Prime Minister Modi's government has always believed in setting challenging targets and achieving them before the set deadline. This can be seen across sectors, whether it is in vaccinating the entire eligible population in record time against Covid-19, recording the nation's highest ever exports in history, in the digital revolution which is taking place across India, in achieving monumental targets for rural electrification, in building world-class infrastructure or in providing drinking water facilities across households." It emphasised that there has been a paradigm shift in public service delivery and the implementation of government schemes using the JAM Trinity - Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile - in the last 11 years. "In the last 11 years, there has been a paradigm shift in public service delivery and the implementation of government schemes using the JAM Trinity - Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile. JAM Trinity is the key enabler of India's transformed and well-developed digital landscape. It has removed intermediaries and permits direct transfer of benefits into an intended beneficiary's bank account." Emphasising the government's action for conservation of the environment, it said, "Under Prime Minister Modi, India has championed environmental protection globally, emerging as a leader of the movement. The United Nations declared June 21st as International Yoga Day, an acknowledgement of the global recognition of the heritage. It also mentioned Operation Sindoor, describing it as a demonstration of a new India--resolute, swift, and sovereign in action. "India's assertion on the global stage has also undergone a remarkable evolution. The success of Operation SINDOOR demonstrated a new India--resolute, swift, and sovereign in action." The book is a comprehensive compendium about India's transformation under PM Modi's "visionary leadership across fourteen facets of policymaking, ranging from infrastructure to foreign policy to social justice". The book has 14 chapters, highlighting developmental aspects in different social, technological and educational sectors. It also noted the government's efforts to lift the marginalised class and different sections of society.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
India Marked Rapid Growth Across Diverse Sectors In 11 Years: PM Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Monday that under the 11 years of his government India has not just become the fastest-growing major economy but is also a key global voice on pressing issues like climate action and digital innovation. A clear focus on good governance and transformation, PM Modi said of the last 11 years as his government finished the first year of its third term on Monday. A link shared by him noted that 60 per cent of the current Union ministers are from the SC, ST and OBC categories, a message aimed at burnishing social justice credentials of his government amid attempts by opposition parties like the Congress to paint it as working against their interests. This is the highest ever representation of these marginalised groups in the Union Council of Ministers, it added. In his post on X, PM Modi said powered by the blessings and collective participation of 140 crore Indians, India has witnessed rapid transformations across diverse sectors. Guided by the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas', the NDA government has delivered path-breaking changes with speed, scale and sensitivity, he said. From economic growth to social upliftment, the focus has been on people-centric, inclusive and all round progress, he added. The prime minister said, "We are proud of our collective success but at the same time, we look ahead with hope, confidence and a renewed resolve to build a Viksit Bharat." He used the hashtag of "11 year of seva" (11 years of service) with the post, while sharing links to the details of changes effected in different sectors. It said PM Modi has brought the politics of development, 'Vikasvaad' into the mainstream, making it the focal point around which political discourse and policy action now revolves. Since assuming office in 2014, 'India First' has guided his every policy and action, it added. It noted that over 81 crore people are getting free food grains, over 15 crore households have got tap water connections, over four crore houses built for the poor, 12 crore toilets were built, 68 lakh street vendors got loans, 52.5 crores loans given to small entrepreneurs, and 20 crores women were given cash assistance during Covid under different schemes.
