Ernakulam all set to count votes as 7,374 candidates await people’s mandate

Ernakulam district is all set for counting of votes, which will decide the fate of candidates who contested the politically crucial local body elections. All arrangements are in place for counting for 2,219 wards of 111 local bodies which will take place at 28 centres on Saturday (December 13, 2025).

A total of 7,374 candidates are awaiting people’s mandate after polling to elect representatives in 82 grama panchayats, 14 block panchayats, 13 municipalities and the Kochi Corporation was held on December 9. Polling in ward 10 (Onakkoor) of Pampakuda panchayat was postponed following the death of candidate C.S. Babu.

Counting of votes for the Kochi Corporation will be held at Maharaja’s College auditorium here.

Counting is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. Postal ballots will be counted first. Counting of votes cast on electronic voting machines will begin by 8.30 a.m. The results are expected to be announced by noon, while trends are likely to be clear in the initial hours.

Votes cast for the 28 divisions in the Ernakulam district panchayat will be counted at centres set up for the 14 block panchayats in the district. Postal votes for the district panchayat will be counted at the collectorate. Votes counted at other centres will be collated at the control room in set up at the collectorate.

Each counting centre will have up to eight tables for each grama panchayat and 16 tables for municipalities. Votes will be counted from the first ward in each local body. Results will be declared at each counting centre as and when the counting gets over.

The district recorded 74.57% of voter turnout as 19,89,428 of the total 26,67,746 electors exercised their franchise.