Overview Elections for the president and vice-president posts in seven coastal grama panchayats in the Ernakulam district are scheduled to take place on December 27 . The elections will determine the leadership in these local self-government institutions, impacting local governance and development initiatives. Key Developments Election Schedule: Presidents of the grama, block, and district panchayats will be elected at 10:30 a.m. , and vice-presidents at 2:30 p.m. on December 27 . Pallippuram Grama Panchayat: E.K. Jayan of CPI(M) is expected to be sworn in as president, with Ramani Ajayan likely to be appointed as vice-president. Kuzhuppilly Grama Panchayat: Liji Thadhevus will assume office as president after the UDF wrested power from the LDF . Edavanakkad Grama Panchayat: K.A Saajith , a CPI(M) member, is likely to be sworn in as president. Njarakkal Grama Panchayat: A coin toss is inevitable due to a tie between the UDF and LDF , each holding eight seats. Nayarambalam Grama Panchayat: Joby Varghese is the likely presidential candidate, despite facing corruption allegations. Elamkunnapuzha Grama Panchayat: Benny Bernard is expected to be the presidential candidate. Chellanam Grama Panchayat: Jessy Augustine and Ammini Joseph are likely to share the president’s post, with Peter Sheen as the vice-president candidate. Political Dynamics The elections highlight the political competition between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala's local governance. The outcome in each panchayat reflects the local political dynamics and the influence of various political parties. Challenges in Local Governance The article also points to challenges such as: Infighting within parties: Evident in the Edavanakkad grama panchayat , where infighting within the Congress led to the LDF coming to power. Corruption allegations: Highlighted in the Nayarambalam grama panchayat , where the likely presidential candidate faces corruption allegations. Lack of representation: The demand for representation from Scheduled Castes communities in the Nayarambalam grama panchayat . UPSC Relevance This news is relevant to GS2: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice , particularly concerning local governance and the Panchayati Raj system. It provides insights into the functioning of local self-government institutions and the challenges they face. Important Facts Elections are scheduled for December 27 . Seven coastal grama panchayats in Ernakulam district are involved. E.K. Jayan is the likely president of Pallippuram . Liji Thadhevus will be the president of Kuzhuppilly . A coin toss will decide the winner in Njarakkal .