Newly elected local body members in Ernakulam take oath amid cheers

The newly elected people’s representatives of local self-government institutions in the district took oath on Sunday (December 21, 2025) amid celebrations and political posturing that signalled the spirit of fight was to stay intact on the ground with only a few months till the crucial Assembly elections.

The 76 councillors of the Kochi Corporation were sworn in at a ceremony held at the recently inaugurated Corporation’s council hall at 11.30 a.m. District Collector G. Priyanka, who is also the District Election Officer, administered the oath to Nirmala Rajappan, the senior-most councillor in the new council. Ms. Rajappan, in turn, administered the oath to the remaining 75 councillors. The Collector, in a brief address ahead of the ceremony, urged the elected representatives to keep intact the confidence bestowed upon them by the people.

UDF celebrations

The Congress-led United Democratic front (UDF), which recorded sweeping victories in the district panchayat and Corporation elections, made the swearing-in ceremony an occasion to project their political dominance over their rivals. The UDF councillors started the day by offering a floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Vanchi Square near High Court before proceeding to the recently inaugurated Corporation building in a procession. District Congress Committee (DCC) president Mohammed Shiyas led the march, holding up a copy of the Constitution, taking a cue from the political gesture popularised by Rahul Gandhi.

The UDF’s celebrations spilled over to the oath ceremony too as supporters of the front cheered and shouted slogans as councillors were called for their turn. Most councillors took oath in the name of God, while a few a took solemn oath. The ceremony also had K.V.P. Krishnakumar, the Congress councillor from Ernakulam South division, introducing himself to the Collector as her representative.

Thrikkakara MLA Uma Thomas, deputy collectors Sunil Mathew, Manoj K., and V.E. Abbas were present on the occasion.

Earlier, the Collector administered the oath to the senior-most member of the district panchayat, Sinta Jacob, at the District Panchayat Hall at Kakkanad at 10 a.m. Ms. Jacob, in turn, made the remaining 27 newly elected members take the vow.

A total of 2,220 representatives, elected to 111 local bodies in the district, took oath at different venues. As many as 1,467 members in 82 grama panchayats, 202 in 14 block panchayats, and 447 members in 13 municipalities also took oath at the respective centres.

The senior-most leaders chaired the first meetings of the new councils in the district panchayat and the Corporation. The election of the Mayor as well as presidents of district, block and grama panchayats will be held at 10.30 a.m. on December 26, and the Deputy Mayor and vice presidents will be elected at 2.30 p.m. on the same day.