144,000 candidates vying for 35,221 posts

By Ranju Kafle Kathmandu, May 2: The Election Commission Nepal (EC) has stated that more than 144,000 candidates are in the race for several vacant posts in 753 local levels across the country in the local election of May 13. 

Although 153,220 candidates have registered their nominations at the Offices of the Returning Election Officers, 8,000 of them have withdrawn their candidacies. However, the EC is yet to publish exact data of the final candidates and those who withdrew their nominations.  

There are six metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities and 460 rural municipalities and their 6,743 wards across the nation.

Elections are being held for the posts of mayor / deputy mayor in the metropolitan cities, sub-metropolitan cities and municipalities, chairperson /deputy chairperson in the rural municipalities,ward chairperson and four members in each ward. Shaligram Sharma Paudel, spokesperson for the EC, said that they would publish detailed data within a few days. “You will get the detailed data of candidates within a few days,” he said. 

Previous data showed that 3,470 candidates had registered their nominations for the post of mayor in 276 municipalities across the country while 2, 134 had nominated their candidacy for the post of deputy-mayor. 

Likewise, 3, 376 candidates had registered their nominations for the post of rural municipality chiefs in 460 rural municipalities in the country whereas 2, 392 candidates had claimed for the post of deputy chairpersons.  Similarly, 34, 803 candidates had registered their nominations for the post of ward chair, 25, 924 for the post of women representatives, 23, 341 for the post of Dalit women representatives and 54, 312 for the post of members. 

Meanwhile, the EC had informed that only 17 districts were left to transport the ballot papers. As many as 91.11 million ballot papers have been transported to 49 districts till April 30. The ballot papers have not reached eight districts in Madhes Province, Morang in Province 1, Rasuwa, Chitwan, Lalitpur, Kathmandu and Bhaktapur in Bagmati Province. 

The ballot papers have reached all the districts of Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, all the districts except for Morang in Province No. 1 and all the places except for Pokhara Metropolis of Gandaki and five districts of Bagmati province. Ballot papers have been transported to Manang and Mustang districts by helicopter.

Printing of ballot papers for Bhaktapur district and six metropolis has begun on Sunday by adding election symbols in the previous design on the basis of the final list of the candidates, the EC said.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has issued a stern warning not to engage in spreading misleading and character-assassinating contents targeting the political parties and candidates. The EC on Sunday expressed concern over the posting of misinformation, disinformation and hate speeches on social media.

The EC has urged the people not to post such misleading, character assassinating and insulting contents in social media.