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Panchayats, municipalities and Corporations across Kerala saw newly-elected members being sworn in on Sunday (December 21, 2025), even as the spotlight was on the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation where the Bharathiya Janata Party (BJP), with 50 seats, had emerged the single largest party in a stunning upset in the 2025 local body elections earlier this month.
In the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, K.R. Cleetus of the UDF, the most senior member, was the first of 100 councillors to take the oath. Mr. Cleetus then administered the oath to the other councillors. BJP councillors arrived in a procession to the Corporation accompanied by party State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
Former DGP R. Sreelekha of the BJP took the oath in the name of God. She also concluded her swearing-in by uttering Vande Matharam. Congress councillor K. Sabarinadhan and several other UDF councillors took the oath holding copies of the Constitution.
BJP councillor Karamana Ajith took the oath in Sanskrit.
Senior BJP leaders including Prakash Javadekar and former State president Kummanam Rajasekharan were present along with large numbers of party workers to view the ceremony.
In the 2025 local body elections, the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation had witnessed a seismic shift with the LDF losing its grip on the 101-ward civic body after more than four decades. The special election to the Vizhinjam ward, postponed after the death of a candidate, will be held on January 12.
In the Kollam Corporation, Karumalil Udaya Sukumaran of UDF was the first councillor to be sworn in. In the 56-ward council, the UDF has 27 seats.
In the Ernakulam Corporation, where the UDF had won 46 of the 76 seats, Nirmala Rajappan of the UDF, the most senior of the councillors, was sworn in first.
In the Thrissur Corporation, all 56 members were sworn in at a ceremony held at the Corporation Hall. District Collector Arjun Pandian administered the oath to the most senior councillor, M.L. Rosy.
In the 76-ward Kozhikode Corporation, Manakkal Sasi of the UDF, the most senior member, took the oath first. The only Corporation in the LDF kitty this time, the LDF had won 35 of the 76 seats here.
In the Kannur Corporation, T.P. Jamal of the UDF was the first to be sworn in. UDF had claimed the Corporation by winning 36 of the 56 seats.
Newly-elected members in grama, block and district panchayats and the 86 municipalities were also sworn in Sunday. The term of the previous councils had ended on Saturday (December 20).
SEC guidelines
The taking of the oath/affirmation by the new members adhered to the guidelines issued by the State Election Commission (SEC). The most senior among the elected representatives took oath or affirmation first before an official nominated by the government. In the case of Corporations and district panchayats, the District Collectors were the nominated officers. The Returning Officers concerned were the nominated officers in the grama and block panchayats and specially-assigned Returning Officers, in the case of municipalities.
In 2025 elections, the UDF had won four of the six Corporations – Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur and Kannur – 505 of the 941 grama panchayats, 79 of the 152 block panchayats, seven out of 14 district panchayats and 54 of the 86 municipalities, according to SEC. The LDF won the Kozhikode corporation, 340 grama panchayats, 63 block panchayats, seven district panchayats and 28 municipalities. Apart from the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP-led NDA won in 26 grama panchayats and two municipalities.
Mayor elections on December 26
The heads and deputy heads of the local bodies will be elected on December 26 and 27.
Mayors of Corporations and municipal chaipersons will be elected at 10.30 a.m. on December 26. Deputy chairpersons of municipalities and Deputy Mayors of Corporations will be elected at 2.30 p.m. on the same day. Presidents of the grama, block and district panchayats will be elected at 10.30 a.m. on December 27. The vice-presidents will be elected at 2.30 p.m. the same day, according to the SEC.
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