Kannur district is politically organized into a complex web of taluks, blocks, panchayaths and villages. In addition, there are also parliamentary divisions called Assembly constituencies and Lok Sabha constituencies.
Kannur district came into existence as an administrative unit on 1 January 1957, when the erstwhile Malabar District and Kasaragod taluk of Madras state were reconstituted into three revenue districts, viz; Kannur, Kozhikode and Palakkad. At the time of its formation, the district consisted of seven taluks, viz, Kasaragod, Hosdurg, Taliparamba, Kannur, Thalassery, North Wayanad and South Wayanad. Subsequently, the South Wayanad taluk was included in Kozhikode district with effect from 15 March 1957. Later, on first November 1980, Wayanad District was formed carving out South Wayanad and North Wayanad taluks. The two northernmost taluks of Kannur District, viz; Kasaragod and Hosdurg were separated on 24 May 1984 for the formation of Kasaragod District.A new Iritty taluk was formed in 2014 dividing Thalassery and Thaliparamba taluks and Payyanur Taluk was created by carving Taliparamba taluk and Kannur taluk in 2018. Thus Kannur District now has five taluks, viz., Kannur, Taliparamba, Payyanur, Thalassery and Iritty. Thalassery is also known as Tellicherry.
There are nine development blocks comprising 71 grama panchayats. The development blocks are Kannur, Edakkad, Irikkur, Iritty, Kuthuparamba, Payyannur, Peravoor, Taliparamba and Thalassery.
There is one municipal corporation and 9 municipalities in Kannur district. Kannur is the only municipal corporation and the municipalities are Thalassery, Taliparamba, Payyannur, Kuthuparamba, Mattannur, Anthoor, Panoor, Iritty, and Sreekandapuram.
The state legislative constituencies of the District are: Irikkur, Payyanur, Taliparamba, Kalliasseri, Azhikode, Kannur, Dharmadom, Thalassery, Mattanur, Kuthuparamba and Peravoor.
Kannur district falls into 3 parliament constituencies.
• Kannur
• Vatakara
Kannur district have 11 Assembly constituencies:
Madras State
After the formation of Kerala