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Migrant Workers Choosing Kerala as Home, Joining Voter Rolls Ahead of Local Elections

Kochi, India – December 6, 2025 – A growing number of migrant workers are choosing to settle permanently in Kerala, leading to a notable increase in their participation in local elections. Ahead of the upcoming local body polls, several migrants are preparing to cast their first votes in their adopted home state.

Rajendra Naik, originally from Odisha, is one such individual. After migrating to Kerala in 2001 and recently settling in Vazhakkulam panchayat, he will be voting for the first time in Ward 5. Similarly, Kanak Mondal, also from Odisha, has been voting in local elections since migrating to Kerala in 2006. She now owns a home near the Vyttila Mobility Hub.

While the trend of migrants settling in Kerala is increasing, some still choose to retain their voter registration in their home states, particularly if they own property there. C. Ponraj, a long-term resident of Kochi whose parents migrated from Tamil Nadu, notes that voters in the migrant hub are traditionally divided by political affiliation.

Experts believe this trend is set to continue. Benoy Peter, Executive Director of the Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development, suggests that demographic shifts in Kerala, including a declining local population and increased emigration of young people, are creating a demand for labor that migrant workers are filling. This, coupled with increasing opportunities for migrant women and their children, encourages permanent settlement.

Ernakulam district, in particular, is home to a significant number of migrant workers primarily from Tamil Nadu, Odisha, West Bengal, and Assam. Their growing participation in the electoral process signifies a shift in the demographics and political landscape of the region.

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