Thiruvananthapuram: The byelections for 30 local body wards across Kerala will be held on February 24, State Election Commissioner A Shajahan announced on Wednesday. The elections will cover 13 districts, excluding Wayanad, and include one corporation ward, two block panchayat wards, three municipality wards, and 24 grama panchayat wards.

The poll notification will be issued on January 30. Candidates can submit nominations until February 6, and scrutiny is scheduled for February 7. The deadline for withdrawing nominations is February 10. Polling will take place from 7 am to 6 pm on February 24, and votes will be counted on February 25 from 10 am.

The model code of conduct is now in effect and applies to the respective wards in municipalities and corporations, the entire area of grama panchayats, and the relevant sections of block panchayats where elections are being held.

Eighty polling booths will be set up. The final voter list, published on January 28, includes 60,617 voters: 28,530 men and 32,087 women. The list is accessible on the Commission’s website and at the respective local body offices.

Nomination deposits are set at Rs 5,000 for corporation wards, Rs 4,000 for municipality and block panchayat wards, and Rs 2,000 for grama panchayat wards. Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates are required to pay half these amounts.

Elected representatives must submit their election expense statements to the local body secretaries within 30 days of the result declaration.