Amid UDF wave in Kerala local body polls, record ties in panchayats spark curiosity
KOCHI: Amid the UDF wave across the state, the local body elections have seen an unusual surge in tied contests, necessitating a draw of lots to decide the front that would take the reins in dozens of local self-government institutions. According to the State Election Commission data, a total of 64 grama panchayats and 10 block panchayats ended in a deadlock, where more than one front secured an equal number of wards. This unprecedented number of ties means a significant chunk of local bodies will begin their term through a lucky draw than a majority mandate. At the same time, none of the corporations, municipalities, and district panchayats had ties. The reliance on chance, while a constitutional provision, raises questions about the closeness of the contest, at least at the panchayat and block levels, even amid what is being hailed as a UDF sweep. Actually, its an unfair practice. If two fronts obtain an equal number of wards in a panchayat, one party should rule for the first two and a half years and the other for the rest of the term. This holds true in the case of candidates as well. If the top two candidates secure the same number of votes, then the winner is decided by a draw of lots. In fact, both enjoy equal backing of the public and should represent the ward for an equal period of time, said Ramesh Mathew, a political observer. However, the draw of lots can still be avoided in the event of defections of winning candidates, which would change the political equation in that particular local body. None of the corporations, municipalities, and district panchayats had ties. The draw of lots is applied to resolve a tie in votes for individual ward members and can also be applied to decide the outcome when two major political fronts have an equal number of total wards, especially when it comes to forming the governing body and electing the president/vice-president of the panchayat, said Gireesh Kumar, a government official who was earlier deputed as a booth level officer. Palakkad district emerged as the hotbed for these photo finishes, recording the highest number of such tie scenarios. As many as nine grama panchayat wards and a block panchayat division ended up in a tie. Alappuzha has eight such wards, besides one block panchayat, while Thrissur has seven. The razor-thin difference in voter preference suggests that while the UDFs statewide strategy has paid off, the LDF and, in some pockets, the NDA, managed to mount formidable opposition locally. The prevalence of these ties will likely prompt all major fronts to conduct a detailed postmortem, especially concerning micro-level booth management and candidate selection, as they gear up for the crucial 2026 assembly elections. The results present a mixed picture: a clear mandate for the UDF at the macro level but a fragmented and highly competitive political environment at the grassroots, where every single vote counted.
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