Local Body Elections: 75,644 Candidates, 52.36% Women

Thiruvananthapuram: A total of 75,644 candidates are contesting in the local body elections across Kerala. Among them are 39,609 women, 36,034 men, and1 transgender candidate. In Thiruvananthapuram district, a transgender candidate is contesting from the Pothencode ward.

The overall representation of women stands at 52.36%. Kollam (55.26%), Alappuzha (54.62%), Pathanamthitta (53.82%), Kottayam (53.47%), Thrissur (53.28%), Ernakulam (53.12%), Wayanad (52.59%), Thiruvananthapuram (52.58%), and Kozhikode (52.56%) lead in women’s participation. At the Gram Panchayat level, 29,262 women and 26,168 men are contesting.

The Block Panchayats have 3,583 women and 3,525 men, while the District Panchayats have 602 women and 672 men. In the municipalities, 5,221 women and 4,810 men are in the fray, and in the corporations, 941 women and 859 men are candidates. Women’s representation across tiers is as follows: Gram Panchayat – 52.79%, Block Panchayat – 50.40%, District Panchayat – 47.21%, Municipality – 52.05%, Corporation – 52.27%.

In the 2020 local body elections, 74,899 candidates had contested, including 36,305 women, 38,593 men, and one transgender candidate. This year, the total number of candidates has increased by 745. Women’s representation has also risen from 48.45% in 2020 to over 52% in 2025.

At the District Panchayat level, however, men continue to outnumber women. Male candidates increased from 594 in 2020 to 672 in 2025, while female candidates decreased from 685 to 602. Malappuram remains the district with the highest number of candidates in both elections, with 8,387 in 2020 and 8,381 in 2025. Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, and Thiruvananthapuram also remain among the districts with the most candidates. Wayanad continues to have the lowest number, with 1,857 candidates in 2020 and 1,968 in 2025.

Most Candidates in Thiruvananthapuram’s Peta Ward

The Peta ward in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has the highest number of candidates this year, with 11 in the contest. Sixteen wards across the state saw unopposed victories: the LDF won 15 of these seats and the UDF won one.

Other wards with large candidate fields include Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram (10 candidates) and the wards of Kazhakkoottam, Beemapalli, Kannamoola, and Thrikkannapuram in Kochi Corporation, each with 9 candidates. The College ward in Kuruvilangad Panchayat, Kottayam district, also has 9 candidates.

At the Gram Panchayat level, Kunnothuparamba in Kannur has the highest number of candidates (102), while Malappattam Panchayat in Kannur has the fewest (25). At the Block Panchayat level, Kunnamangalam in Kozhikode leads with 76 candidates. The Malappuram District Panchayat has the highest number at its tier, with 126 candidates, while Pathanamthitta has the fewest, with 54.

149 Candidates Aged 21 A total of 1,183 candidates under the age of 25 are contesting this year’s elections, including 917 women and 266 men. Candidates below 25 make up just 1.56% of the total 75,644 candidates. Among them are 149 candidates who are exactly 21 years old, the minimum age required to contest,130 women and 19 men.