Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 16 (UNI) The counting of votes polled in the three-phase local body election in Kerala began in 244 centres at 0800 hours on Wednesday.
The counting of votes will be held under strict COVID-19 protocol, State Election Commission (SEC) sources said.
The final results are expected around 1300 hours.
The first phase of three-phase election recorded 72.67 per cent voter turnout, the second phase 76.38 per cent and the final phase 78.64 per cent.
Ahead of the counting of votes, Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, prohibiting the gathering of four or more people in an area, was imposed in Malappuram and some areas of Kozhikode and Kasargod districts to maintain law and order and to prevent the spread of COVID pandemic, sources said.
The counting of votes in 21,893 wards of 1,200 local bodies will decide the fate of the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) hoping to retain power in the next Assembly assembly election to be be held after four months.
UNI DS CS 0815