- Monday, 17 November 2025
Arpana Adhikari
Local elections indicate changing trend among voters
The country on Friday successfully conducted local level elections nationwide. This local polls is the second of its kind after the country adopted a federal republic system following promulgation of a new Constitution in 2015. The local polls were largely peaceful except for few reports of clashes amid tight security. People throughout the country, including as old as 113-year-old voter, enthusiastically participated in the polls to elect 35,211 representatives of their choice for 753 local units from 145,011 candidates.
Local polls conclude peacefully
A preliminary report of the Election Commission has shown 64 per cent voters’ turnout in the local level election held on Friday. The EC said the local level election concluded in a largely peaceful way. People throughout the country, including the first time voters, elderlies and differently abled among others participated in the election across the country. Voting for the local level elections had begun simultaneously at 7:00 am and concluded at 5:00 pm. However, voting continued even after 5 in some places. “Although sporadic scuffles were reported in some places, the election concluded in a peaceful manner,” Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya told at news briefing immediately after the voting concluded.
Fewer women likely to be elected in local levels this time
Nepal is holding the second local level elections since the promulgation of the Constitution in 2015 in a single phase on May 13 to elect 35,211 representatives for 753 local units, including six metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities and 460 rural municipalities. Altogether 55,698 women candidates, 38.4 per cent of total 145,011 candidates, are vying for various posts in local level elections slated for Friday.
Silence period begins for polls
The Election Commission (EC) has enforced a ‘silence period’ from Tuesday midnight for the local level elections slated for May 13. The silence period was enforced after completing all logistic and administrative preparations, the EC informed. According to the EC, the silence period starts 48 hours before the polling and will remain till the voting centres are closed. Arrangement has been made to cast vote from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm on the polling day, the EC said.
