Kerala News HIGHLIGHTS: By-election in 23 local wards in 10 districts on February 22

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Feb 20, 2024, 8:16 AM IST

Kerala News Highlights: By-election in 23 local wards in 10 districts on February 22

4.40 PM: By-election in 23 local wards in 10 districts on February 22

State Election Commissioner A. Shahjahan has informed that preparations have been completed for holding by-elections in 23 local wards of the state on the 22nd of February. Voting will be held from 7 am to 6 pm on Thursday. By-elections are being held in one corporation ward, four municipality wards and 18 gram panchayat wards in ten districts. A total of 88 candidates are seeking the mandate. 33 of them are women. There are 32,512 voters in the final voter list of the 23 wards where the by-elections are held. There are 15,298 males and 17,214 females. The electoral roll is available at www.sec.kerala.gov.in.

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4.00 PM: Man sentenced to three years in prison for flashing at 17-year-old in Thiruvananthapuram

An accused in the case involving a flashing at a 17-year-old girl was sentenced to three years of prison in Thiruvananthapuram. Special Fast Track Judge R. Rekha sentenced Shibu Kumar (49), a native of Manacaud, Airanimuttam.

3:27 pm: Mother remanded for killing one-and-half-year-old girl in Shoranur

The woman in the case involving the killing of a one-year-old girl in Shoranur has been remanded until March 5. Shilpa, the accused, appeared in the Ottapalam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court and will be later transferred to Palakkad District Jail. The Mavelikkara police have requested custody of Shilpa as the crime occurred in Mavelikkara, Alappuzha. The incident happened at a rented house in Mavelikkara.

2:51 pm:Kerala MVD likely to implement new driving test systems from May 1; Reports

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2:15 pm: MD issues yellow alert in 6 districts as temperature rises in the state

The India Meteorological Department has warned that the temperature will remain in the state in the coming days. The IMD has issued yellow alerts in six districts including Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, and Kannur districts. Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts are likely to experience a maximum temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the high temperature in Ernakulam and Kannur districts will rise to 36 degrees. The IMD has advised people that the chances of getting sunburn are high during these days.

1.45 PM: Guruvayur temple festival to kick-off with Kodiyettam on Wednesday

The 10-day annual festival at Sri Krishna Temple in Guruvayur will commence with 'Kodiyettam' (flag hoisting ceremony) on Wednesday (Feb 21). As part of the Kodiyettam, the 'anayilla seeveli' and an elephant race will be organised.

1.00 PM: Woman arrested for smuggling gold at Thiruvananthapuram Airport

Customs nabbed a woman trying to smuggle gold in the form of paste and jewelry inside her socks. Last day, the woman was caught by the Air Intelligence Unit of Customs with gold worth Rs 14 lakh at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.

12.25 PM: Highrich couple withdraws anticipatory bail plea after ED interrogation

Highrich Online Shoppe Private Ltd managing director Kolatt Dasan Prathapan and his wife Sreena Prathapan have withdrawn their anticipatory bail applications. The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), investigating the alleged money chain scam, on Monday, said it would question the promoter couple for a "minimum of 10 days". Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Assembly on January 29, Highrich illegally raised Rs 3,141.34 crore from the public.

11.45 AM: Centre wants us to withdraw Supreme Court plea seeking access to funds: Kerala FM Balagopal

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal said that the central government asked to withdraw the case filed in the Supreme Court against the Centre accusing it of undermining its fiscal autonomy. He stated that the withdrawal of the case was a requirement set by the Centre to release the approximately Rs 12,000 crore that Kerala would have obtained without any issues. This demand was presented before the Supreme Court by the Centre on Monday.

11.00 AM: Congress boycotts all-party meeting; demands CM to visit Wayanad to review wildlife menace

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9.40 AM: Terror accused Abdul Nasser Madani hospitalised in Kochi

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9.30 AM: Accused arrested in retired SI's murder case in Idukki

The accused Arun who was absconding after hacking retired SI Lakshmanan to death was nabbed today by the police in Idukki.

9.00 AM: Woman arrested for killing one-and-a-half-year-old daughter in Shoranur

A woman was arrested for murdering her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter by suffocating her in Shoranur. The accused was identified as Shilpa. She committed the crime after sending a message to her partner. The incident related to this happened last Saturday. Shikhanya, daughter of Ajmal, a native of Shoranur, and Shilpa, a native of Alappuzha died.

8.30 AM: Retired SI hacked to death by sister's son in Idukki; accused absconding

P Lakshmanan, who was a Sub Inspector (SI) in Tamil Nadu was hacked to death by his sister's son Arun in Marayoor, Idukki on Monday. Meanwhile, the Marayoor police started a search to find Arun, who went on the run after the murder. The murder took place near Marayoor Government High School. Lakshmanan died before reaching the hospital. Arun was addicted to internet usage. The preliminary conclusion of the police is that the reason for the provocation was Lakshmanan took away the mobile phone from Arun which led to the murder.

8.23 AM: Wild jumbo Belur Makhna returns to residential areas of Wayanad; alert issued

According to reports, Belur Makhna, the deadly wild elephant, has made his way into the inhabited parts of Marakkadavu, which is close to Pulpally in Wayanad. It was in the early hours of Tuesday morning in the nearby farmlands that the elephant was seen crossing the Kabani River. Later on, the animal made its way back to the Karnataka forest area.

The elephant had trampled Panachiyil Ajeesh (42), a tractor driver, to death on February 10 after he ran to the compound of a house to escape from the animal at Padamala near Mananthavady.

8.16 AM: Ministers to arrive in Wayanad today to discuss animal-human conflict in region

The ministerial team is in Wayanad today to discuss the issues facing the district in the wake of wildlife attacks. Ministers MB Rajesh, K Rajan and AK Saseendran are coming to the district. There is an all-party meeting at Sultan Bathery at 10 am. The ministerial team will also meet senior officials of the forest revenue department of the district. However it is not clear whether the cabinet will meet the dependents of those killed in the wildlife attack.

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