Voting percentage touches 77.35% in Kerala

As per the final percentage released by the office of the Chief Electoral officer here this morning, Kozhikode recorded the highest voting percentage at 81.89, while Pathnamthitta registered the lowest of 71.56 per cent.

The strength of the electorate is 2.60 crore.

The Northern districts recorded polling percentage of above 75 per cent-- Kasaragod (78.51), Kannur (80.63), Waynad (78.22), Malappuram (75.83), Palakkad (78.37).

The hilly tribal dominated district of Idukki recorded only 73.59 per cent, while in Thrissur it was 77.74, Ernakulam (79.77), Kottayam (76.90) and Alapuzha (79.88),Kollam (75.07).

Thiruvananthapuram recorded only 72.53 per cent voting.

The polling percentage in the 2011 Assembly polls was 75.11 per cent.

The Congress led ruling UDF and CPI-M headed LDF Opposition were in a close fight in the state where BJP is trying its luck to open its maiden account in the assembly.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Opposition leader and 93-year-old CPI-M veteran V S Achuthanandan, CPI(M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan, 83-year-old Kerala Congress(M) supremo and former Finance Minister K M Mani were among the 1,203 candidates in the electoral arena.