Local leaders and members of the action committee protesting pollution from the Ambayathode poultry rendering unit avoided voting until 1 p.m. on Thursday, December 11, 2025. They feared police arrests following a violent clash in October. Babu Kudukkil, the action committee chairman and candidate from ward 11 of Thamarassery panchayat, did not vote. Police issued a lookout notice against him after he filed nomination papers with the Indian Union Muslim League. Most protesters booked for the violence come from Kattippara, Thamarassery, Omassery, and Kodenchery panchayats. Though voter turnout was above 30% by noon, many stayed hidden due to heavy police surveillance. Some committee members said they voted despite police presence and warned they would resist any arrests. A senior leader said, "We have noticed the preparations of the police to zero in on some of our members who turned up for voting in Kodenchery panchayat. There will be strong resistance in case of any move to arrest them." He added, "The police should respect the democratic rights of citizens and should not create a scary scene with heavy deployment near the polling booths." The poultry unit was shut on October 21 after protesters set part of the factory on fire and vandalized about 15 vehicles. Several protesters and police officers were injured. Over 300 people were booked under serious sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A special investigation team led by Deputy Inspector General of Police Yathish Chandra is probing the case, which has seen over 30 arrests so far.