Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 8 (UNI) Around 42.42 per cent of votes were polled till noon in the first phase of local body election in five districts of Kerala on Tuesday.
The average polling percentage was recorded at 42.42 in these five districts.
The polling percentage in Thiruvananthapuram is 39.47 per cent, Kollam 42.91%, Pathanamthitta 43.71%, Alappuzha 45.09% and Idukki 43.63%.
Voters queued up in large numbers at many places after voting started.
State Election Commission (SEC) sources said 88,26,873 lakh people -- 41,58,395 male voters, 46,68,267 female voters, 150 Pravasis and 61 transgenders -- were expected to exercise their franchise.
The polling is being held for 6,910 wards in 395 local bodies.
In the first phase, 42,530 new voters are also expected to cast their votes.
UNI DS CS 1332