The State Election Commission has announced a significant step in preparation for Kerala’s 2025 local body elections: the draw of lots for ward reservations will commence this month. These crucial draws will determine the wards designated for women, Scheduled Caste (SC) women, Scheduled Tribe (ST) women, and for both SCs and STs, ensuring equitable representation in the upcoming polls.
This allocation process is a vital preparatory measure for the 2025 elections. The commission has already issued official notifications detailing the schedule for these draws across all tiers of local governance, including grama panchayats, municipalities, and municipal corporations.
For the 941 grama panchayats, the reservation draws are slated to take place from October 13 to 16 at various collectorates. Following this, draws for the 152 block panchayats are scheduled for October 18, with the district panchayat draws set for October 21.
Regarding the municipal corporations, the draw for Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is scheduled for 10 a.m. on October 17 at Swaraj Bhavan, followed by Kollam Corporation’s draw at 2 p.m. on the same day. For Kochi Corporation, the draw will take place at 10 a.m. on October 17 at the Corporation Town Hall. Meanwhile, the Kozhikode and Kannur Corporations will have their draws at Mananchira Town Hall on October 21, at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively. Additionally, the ward reservation draws for 86 municipalities (excluding Mattannur) are set for October 16.