For the upcoming local body elections in Kerala in 2025, the State Election Commission has implemented revised limits on the number of voters permitted at each polling station. In urban local bodies, which include municipalities and corporations, the maximum number of voters will now be 1,500. For panchayats, this cap has been set at 1,200 voters per station.
This reduction in voter numbers, from the previous limits of 1,600 in urban areas and 1,300 in panchayats, comes after a formal request made by various political parties in July of this year. State Election Commissioner S. Shajahan confirmed this significant change to The Hindu on Thursday, October 30, 2025, noting that political stakeholders were informed during a recent meeting focused on poll preparations.
The rationale behind the differing limits lies in the voting process itself. In urban local bodies, voters typically cast only a single vote. However, in panchayats, the process is more complex and time-consuming as each voter must cast three separate votes: one for the grama panchayat, one for the block panchayat, and another for the district panchayat.
Tackling Overcrowding at Booths
Political parties had strongly advocated for these reduced limits to mitigate overcrowding at polling stations, a common concern during elections. They also highlighted that the Election Commission of India, which oversees Assembly and Parliament elections, has already set a similar cap of 1,200 voters per polling station, underscoring the importance of such measures for voter comfort and logistical efficiency.
Notably, the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had specifically requested even lower numbers, proposing limits of 1,100 voters in panchayats and 1,300 in municipalities and corporations.
A Look at Kerala’s 33,757 Polling Stations
With these new caps, Kerala is projected to establish a total of 33,757 polling stations across its panchayats, municipalities, and corporations for the 2025 local body elections. While officials from the commission mentioned that this figure might undergo slight adjustments, the current breakdown includes 28,137 stations for panchayats, 3,604 for municipalities, and 2,016 for the six Corporations.
This marks an increase from the previous election’s 30,759 polling stations, directly resulting from the lower voter-per-station limits. According to the final voters’ list released by the commission on October 25, 2025, Kerala currently boasts a total of 2,84,30,761 registered voters.