Voting for the first phase of local body elections covering seven of the 14 districts in the southern Indian state of Kerala began on
Saturday.
Reports from across the state said the voting is brisk in rural areas while it is yet to pick up in corporations and municipal towns.
No untoward incident had been reported from anywhere, police sources said.
The districts where polling is taking place are Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanthitta, Kozhiode, Waynad, Kannur and Kasargod. More than one crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise.
A total of 9,238 seats are up for grabs spread around three-tier panchayats and urban civic bodies in Saturday's polls.
About 29,000 candidates are in the fray for the elections fought on political lines, mainly between the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-controlled United Democratic
Front (UDF).
Half of the total seats are reserved for women.
Election to remaining seven districts- Alappuzha, Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram-- would be held on October 25.
Counting would be held on October 27.