Voting continues to progress at a swift pace in Kerala, with electors braving the April sun to queue up at the polling stations.
By 1 p.m., over 41% of the 2.74 crore voters in the State had cast their votes. Kerala is witnessing a single-phase election to 140 constituencies and also a by-election to the Malappuram Lok Sabha seat.
By 1 p.m. — a full six hours into the polling — 44.17% of the men electors, 39.51% of the women and 13.84% of transgender voters had cast their votes, according to an official update.
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The voting has been largely peaceful, barring a few incidents reported in different parts of the State.
In Kattayikonam in Kazhakootam segment, the BJP has accused CPI(M) of attacking its workers. Central forces have been reportedly deployed in the area. A few incidents pertaining to alleged bogus/impersonated voting also have been reported.
At Nedumkandam, BJP and Congress workers blocked a group of people, accusing them of having arrived from Tamil Nadu to cast bogus votes.
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Voting will come to a close at 7 p.m. across the State, except in nine north Kerala constituencies where it will end at 6 p.m.
Malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines and Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail machines was reported from a number of booths, but overall, voting progressed at a brisk pace across the State.
Ministers, candidates vote
Earlier in the first hour of the polling, several Ministers and candidates of all three political fronts cast their votes. Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, who is contesting from Kazhakootam, said a three-cornered fight was on in Kerala, but the desire for a continuation of the Left government was strongly visible in the electorate.
BJP State president K. Surendran said Kerala was voting for a third alternative. The BJP-NDA combine would register an impressive outcome in the election, he claimed.
Metroman E. Sreedharan, who is contesting on a BJP ticket from Palakkad, cast his vote in Ponnani and expressed confidence of a victory.
IUML leader P. K. Kunhalikutty, who is contesting from Vengara, said reports from the constituencies indicated a comfortable victory for the Congress-led UDF.
Electors who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are under quarantine will be permitted to vote in the final hour of polling. Kerala had recorded a polling percentage of 77.35% in the 2016 Assembly poll.