Palakkad sets up 2,749 polling booths; Tamil ballot labels in 93 wards

Elaborate preparations are in place for Thursday’s local body elections in the district. About 28.6 lakh voters are expected to cast their ballots at 3,054 polling stations from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., choosing their representatives for municipalities and three-tier panchayats. As many as 6,724 candidates are contesting across the district.

A 48-hour prohibition has been declared from 6 p.m. on Tuesday (December 9, 2025). December 13, the day of vote counting, will also be observed as a dry day. A total of 3,054 polling booths have been set up, each designed to accommodate a maximum of 1,300 voters. Of these, 2,749 booths are in the panchayats, while 305 polling stations are in the municipalities.

Sensitive polling stations

As many as 284 polling stations have been identified as sensitive. These are located in Palakkad, Chittoor-Thattamangalam and Cherpulassery municipalities as well as in 60 grama panchayats.

Factors such as political clashes, communal tensions, the presence of unauthorised polling agents and overcrowding of voters have contributed to their classification as sensitive. Webcasting arrangements will be in place at 180 of these booths.

A total of 4,500 police personnel will be deployed in the district. The security operation will be led by a team consisting of 25 deputy superintendents, 40 inspectors and 300 sub-inspectors. Additionally, a company of 140 Central paramilitary personnel will be stationed in the district.

An extra police officer will be posted at each of the 180 web-casted sensitive polling booths. In zones that need extra vigilance, teams of four officers each will be deployed. To strengthen security in Maoist-affected areas such as Attappady, about 500 additional police personnel will be assigned.

A total of 4,366 control units and 12,393 ballot units will be used in the district. In grama panchayats, each EVM will consist of one control unit and three ballot units, while in municipalities, one control unit and one ballot unit will be used.

Voters can cast their votes using any of the nine identification documents approved by the Election Commission. They include election ID card, voter slip issued by the State Election Commission, official ID card issued by the Central or State government, Aadhaar card, passport, driving licence and PAN card.

In 93 wards of six grama panchayats bordering Tamil Nadu, candidates’ names will also appear in Tamil on the ballot labels in the voting machines.

The distribution of election materials will begin on Wednesday morning.