Reservation Wards Finalised in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Ahead of 2025 Local Body Polls

Thiruvananthapuram: Ahead of the upcoming 2025 local body elections in Kerala, the reservation wards under various categories—including Scheduled Caste (SC) Women, Scheduled Caste (SC), and Women—have been finalised in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The selection of wards was carried out through a draw of lots conducted on Friday at Swaraj Bhavan, under the supervision of Sooraj Shaji, Director (Urban), Local Self-Government Department.

As per the latest notification issued by the State Election Commission, five wards—Kattayikonam, Pangappara, Attukal, Alathara, and Kulathur—have been reserved for SC Women candidates. Additionally, four wards, namely Kachani, Peroorkada, Arannur and Cheruvaickal, have been reserved under the general SC category.

The women reservation wards span a broad cross-section of the Corporation's geography, with a total of 46 wards designated exclusively for women candidates. These include prominent and densely populated localities such as Chenthavila, Chenkottukonam, Chempazhanthy, Kariavattam, Sreekaryam, Ambalamukku, Kudapanakkunnu, Nettayam, Kuravankonam, Nalanchira, Edavakkode, Medical College, Pattom, and Kesavadasapuram.

Other areas that fall under this category include inner-city wards like Palayam, Vazhuthacaud, Sasthamangalam, Thirumala, and Poojappura, as well as coastal and peripheral wards including Valiyasala, Ponnumangalam, Nedungad, Kalady, Karumam, Punchakkari, Venganoor, Harbour, Vellar, Poonthura, Puthenpalli, Ambalathara, Kalippankulam, Beemapally, Valiyathura, Vallakadavu, Sreevaraham, Manacaud, Perunthanni, Sreekanteswaram, Vettucaud, Karikkakom, Kadakampally, Anamugham, Akkulam, and Pallithura.

The allocation of reservation categories follows the guidelines laid out by the Kerala State Election Commission, which is presently overseeing preparations across all tiers of local governance—including grama panchayats, municipalities, and municipal corporations—in anticipation of the elections slated for the first half of 2025. The reservation process, which is based on a rotational system, to ensure proportional representation for historically marginalised communities and to strengthen the participation of women in local governance.

While the dates for the local body polls are yet to be announced, political parties and grassroots organisations have already begun internal deliberations and preliminary candidate discussions, with the reservation list serving as a crucial reference point in shaping electoral strategies.