Counting to begin for Nilambur bypoll at 8 am on June 23

ANI June 22, 2025 426 views

The Nilambur Assembly bypoll counting begins June 23 under heavy security with 70.76% voter turnout recorded. The contest pits LDF's M Swaraj against UDF's Aryadan Shoukath in a battle seen as a precursor to 2026 state elections. UDF leaders accuse the Pinarayi government of neglecting Nilambur's tribal rehabilitation and wildlife conflicts. The bypoll was necessitated after independent MLA PV Anvar quit LDF to join TMC.

"This is a political contest, a direct fight between the UDF and the LDF" - VD Satheesan to ANI
Thiruvananthapuram, June 21: Votes will be counted for bypoll to the Nilambur Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC) from 8 am on June 23.

Key Points

1

19 counting rounds across 14 tables with EVM-VVPAT verification

2

UDF cites neglect of Nilambur's tribal issues

3

Bypoll triggered by ex-LDF MLA Anvar's TMC switch

4

CAPF and state police guard strong room 24/7

Chief Electoral Officer, Dr Ratan U Kelkar, said that the strong room will be opened at 7.30 am in the presence of the candidates' agents, and the counting of votes will begin at 8 am, according to a release.

Nineteen rounds of counting will be held across 14 tables. Five tables have been set up for counting postal ballots, including ETBS. The postal ballots will be counted first. After this, the electronic votes will be counted, the release said.

The counting of votes will be done in the presence of the Observer appointed by the Election Commission and the candidates or their agents. Micro observers and AROs have been appointed to monitor the counting of votes. The number of VVPAT slips in the five selected booths will be compared with the votes in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in the said booths to ensure its accuracy.

The Chief Electoral Officer also said that the electronic voting machines used in the bye election are secured in a strong room set up at Chungathara Marthoma Higher Secondary School under tight security 24x7 by both the Central Armed Police Force and the State Armed Police.

The Nilambur assembly by-election in Kerala recorded a voter turnout of 70.76% as of 5 PM on June 19, according to data from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Kerala.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has fielded M Swaraj, the United Democratic Front (UDF) has fielded Aryadan Shoukath, while the BJP has fielded Adv. Mohan George is a candidate for the Nilambur Assembly constituency.

United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Aryadan Shoukhath expressed confidence of party's victory, saying that the state government has "totally neglected Nilambur area," with tribals not being rehabilitated and human-animal conflict increasing.

Earlier, Kerala LoP and Congress MLA VD Satheesan also said that a UDF victory would mark the party's return to power in the state.

Speaking to ANI, Satheesan said, "This is a political contest, a direct fight between the UDF and the LDF. It is the semi-final leading up to the 2026 Assembly elections, and we are confident of winning by a significant margin. We see this as an opportunity to hold the Pinarayi government accountable, a government that has been in power for the past nine years."

The bypoll has been necessitated after the resignation of Left Democratic Front independent legislator PV Anvar, who later joined the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) after his acrimonious break-up with the ruling alliance.

Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
The 70%+ voter turnout shows Kerala's strong democratic spirit! Hope the counting process remains transparent and fair. The VVPAT verification is a good step to ensure trust in EVMs. Let's see if this bypoll sets the tone for 2026 elections.
P
Priya M.
Interesting how this bypoll is being called a "semi-final" for 2026! 😊 As a Malayali, I hope whichever party wins actually focuses on Nilambur's development - the tribal rehabilitation and human-animal conflict issues are serious concerns that need immediate attention.
S
Suresh N.
The security arrangements seem thorough with CAPF and state police guarding EVMs 24x7. But I wonder why independent candidates keep switching parties after elections? PV Anvar's resignation and joining TMC raises questions about political integrity.
A
Anjali T.
As someone from Nilambur, I'm glad our voices are being heard! The area has been neglected for too long. Hope the new MLA works on infrastructure and job creation rather than just political games. The high turnout shows people want change.
V
Vijay P.
While the counting process appears robust, I wish election campaigns focused more on development agendas rather than mudslinging. Kerala deserves better politics. Also, 19 rounds of counting seems excessive for one constituency - can't we make the process more efficient?
M
Meera S.
The BJP candidate seems to be getting less media attention compared to LDF and UDF. Is this media bias or lack of grassroots presence? Kerala politics remains bipolar, but healthy third-party competition could benefit democracy in the long run.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Your email won't be published


Disclaimer: Comments here reflect the author's views alone. Insulting or using offensive language against individuals, communities, religion, or the nation is illegal.

Tags:
Nilambur bypoll Kerala election LDF vs UDF M Swaraj Aryadan Shoukath PV Anvar EVM counting