Smooth Voting Underway in Remote Nilambur Amidst Political Tensions

Voting at the Punchakkoli polling booth in the heart of Nilambur's verdant forests went off without a hitch on Thursday, as committed voters braved the remote location to cast their ballots.

The Election Commission of India reported a voter turnout of 30.51% by 11 am in Nilambur. Polls opened at 7 am, coinciding with by-election activities in Punjab, West Bengal, and Gujarat.

Anticipation builds as results will be unveiled on June 23, with key candidates from LDF, UDF, and BJP keenly involved. The by-election was triggered by PV Anvar's departure from LDF to join TMC, adding layers to the political narrative. UDF's Aryadan Shoukath and LDF's M Swaraj remained confident, with each side framing the by-poll as pivotal for their party's future performance ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)