An estimated 40 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in Azhikode and 38 per cent in the Koothuparamba assembly segment till 12 noon in the byelections to the Kerala assembly on Thursday, official sources said.

In Koothuparamba, brisk polling was witnessed in most of the polling booths and people were seen standing in long queues.

Elaborate security arrangements were made for the smooth conduct of the polling.

In some polling booths, women outnumbered men even as the sky remained overcast.

So far, the polling has remained peaceful with no untoward incidents reported from any of the polling booths, the sources said.

In the Azhikode assembly segment, there are 1,30,037 voters, while in Koothuparamba there are 1,53,231.