Kerala State Election Commission today announced that election to local bodies in the state would be held on October 23 and 25.

Addressing a press conference, State Election Commission P Kamalkutty said poll of conduct would come into effect immediately.

As per poll scheduled announced, elections would be held to civiv bodies in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanthitta, Kozhikode, Waynad, Kannur and Kasargod on October 23 and in Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur,Palakkad and Malappuram would be held on October 25.

Counting would take place on October 27 and new councils would take charge on November 1, the Kerala formation day.

Election would be held for 21,612 wards in 1208 local bodies.

There are 98 Gramma Panchayats, 152 Blocak panchayats,14 district panchayats and 59 Muncipalities and five corporations.

There would be 40,000 polling booths to facilitate nearly 2.25 lakh voters to excersie their voting rights.

Kamalkutty said Electronic voting machines would be used in Muncipalities and Corporation where as ballot boxes would be used in three-tier panchayats. More than 8000 EVM's would used for polls, he said. Election notification would be issued on October 27.

A meeting of recognised political parties have been called on September 16 to discuss the issues connected with polls and the code of conduct, he said. To facilitate the security arrangements a meeting of police officials and district collectors also would be held, he said.

For the first time, it has been included in the code of conduct that campaignig directly or indirectly by employees of State, Centre and local bodies would be considered as violation of code of conduct, he said.

Similarly, Commission had already issued instructions that place of worships should not be used for any type of poll campaign, he said.

Asked whether the issue of pastrol letter by chruch would be considered as violation of code of conduct, he said Church has the right to read out pastrol letters, but they should not ask their followers to caste vote for a particuler candidate.

Local body polls in the state is seen as a semi-final contest between the CPI-M led ruling LDF and Congress headed UDF Opposition, as election to state assembly was due in May next year.