Kochi

Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh defended the Election Commission at India Today South Conclave in Kochi. Opposition parties blame the poll body every time they lose. Lokesh made a fair point. He said it's easy to blame after a defeat.

He told political parties to fix their own booth-level machinery instead of throwing baseless allegations at the Commission. That's a practical take most parties would rather ignore.

Delimitation worry for southern states

Lokesh also raised a serious concern about parliamentary delimitation. Southern states could end up with less political representation if proportional safeguards are not guaranteed, he warned. This directly affects how voters in Andhra Pradesh and other southern states get heard in Parliament.

On jobs, he said Andhra Pradesh is not interested in empty MOUs. "We are about grounding these projects and creating real jobs in the local economy," he said. Lokesh also backed CM Chandrababu Naidu's call for population management. He noted that falling fertility rates pose long-term demographic problems for South India.

Election Commission of India is facing internal tension. Two Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, have raised 14 objections regarding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They claim he made important decisions, such as changing Form 6 for voter registration, without their agreement.

Objections to current changes

The commissioners state that these changes are not allowed and go against the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. They are worried that the electoral software is being centralized. They believe this ignores local officers and lacks clarity.

This matter has reached the Cabinet Secretary. The commissioners want to fix procedural issues that could affect voter rights in areas like Kochi, Goalpokhar, and Jangoan.

Political activity is growing in Kochi as Ayyappankavu ward prepares for a by-election. The seat became vacant after the former deputy mayor resigned to become an MLA. Although UDF has held this seat for a long time, LDF sees a potential change in how people might vote.

Election focus

CPM leaders are questioning the performance of the corporation, mostly focusing on waste management problems. Meanwhile, Congress is focusing on its traditional supporters and is currently helping residents with the voters' list review process. With 76 divisions in the Kochi corporation, both major groups are watching this bypoll very closely.

2026 Kerala Assembly election results for Kochi are out. Mohammed Shiyas, from Indian National Congress (INC), won the seat. He defeated incumbent CPM candidate K.J. Maxy by 64,318 votes.

Election outcome

This result changes the local political scene. Voters in Kochi voted in large numbers on April 23, 2026. Shiyas led the race, with other candidates finishing behind. K.J. Maxy held this seat for CPI(M) during the previous term.

CPM leader P Rajeeve is worried about the sale of 49 percent shares of Vizhinjam Port to MSC. During a press conference in Kochi, he asked Chief Minister V D Satheesan about the clarity of this deal. Rajeeve noted that the Chief Minister first said he knew nothing about the sale but then admitted he had unofficial info.

The former minister is concerned about how things are being handled. He mentioned the Chief Minister is personally checking files from the port department.

Governance concerns in Kerala

Rajeeve also brought up comments from AICC general secretary K C Venugopal. Venugopal had questioned the concessions given to Adani by the state government. Rajeeve said these events make people wonder how Kerala is being run right now.