Thiruvananthapuram, December 15: The results of Kerala local elections 2020 is expected to be declared today, as the State Election Commission has scheduled the counting of votes from 8 am onwards. In the polls held in Kerala, a total of 941 gram panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 78 municipalities and 14 district panchayats were contested. The live streaming of the poll outcome via News 18 in English could be viewed further below.

Despite the outbreak of COVID-19, Kerala recorded around 76 percent turnout in the local body elections. Due to the use of large number of postal ballots - allotted to COVID-19 positive voters - the initial credible trends would emerge late, around an hour after the counting begins. Free COVID-19 Vaccine Announcement Not in Violation of Poll Code, Says Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

After the postal ballots are counted, the votes registered through the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be counted. The final results are expected to emerge by late in the night.

Watch Live Telecast of Kerala Local Body Election Results on News 18

In 2015, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) captured the maximum of the seats. The coalition won 549 gram panchayats, 90 block panchayats, 44 municipalities and four corporations.

The local body elections in Kerala are considered as a "semi final" before the assembly polls. The latter would be held in April-May next year. For the LDF, the results announced today would reflect the public sentiment on the performance of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government.

The Congress-led UDF would by eyeing a stronger performance than the LDF, to carry on the momentum in the 2021 assembly elections. The BJP, which emerged as a distant third last time, is hopeful of exponentially increasing its number of seats. The saffron party is also aiming to wrest control of the Thiruvananthapuram municipal corporation, where it emerged second last time.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 16, 2020 07:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).