Elections in Kerala’s 38 local wards as the UDF government faces heat over various issues

image file | Photo credit: The Hindu

Voting began on Monday (September 28, 2026) morning for by-elections to 38 local bodies in Kerala amid criticism from various quarters against the UDF government on issues such as power cuts, foreign innuendo by ministers and delays in flood relief aid.

Voting began at a brisk pace in the by-polls, the first since the UDF’s victory in the 2026 assembly elections, which reportedly began at 7 am.

The polls are being held in 38 local bodies in 12 districts in the state, apart from Kollam and Alappuzha, the State Election Commission (SEC) said.

In the by-election, a total of 126 candidates are contesting for the mandate of 3,09,713 voters, of which 1,64,241 are women, 1,45,468 are men and four are transgender.

The highest number of candidates – 23 – are contesting in Palakkad district, where elections are being held in seven local bodies.

The votes will be counted on Tuesday (September 29, 2026).

Published – 28 Sep 2026 11:48 IST