Number of candidates highest in Madhesh Province

By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, May 8: Madhesh Province has the highest number of candidates vying for the various posts in the forthcoming local level election to be held on May 13.

According to the Election Commission (EC), a total of 145,007 candidates are contesting polls for various posts in the upcoming local level elections from across the country.

Of these, Madhes Province has the highest number of candidates with 40,924.  The number of candidates in the province is almost double that of other provinces, as per the data provided by the EC.

There are 1,420 candidates for the mayoral posts, 684 for deputy mayoral, 893 for chairperson and 479 for vice chairperson of rural municipalities in the province.

Madhesh Province has 136 local levels and one metropolis.

Likewise, with 12, 009 candidates, Gandaki Province has the lowest number of candidates. 

According to the EC, Gandaki has a total of 85 local levels, one metropolis, 26 municipalities and 58 rural municipalities.

Similarly, Bagmati Province has the second highest number of candidates, with 22, 665 candidates.

Out of them, 518 are vying for mayoral candidates, 299 for deputy mayor, 519 for chair and 323 for vice chair of the rural municipalities

Likewise, Lumbini Province has 22,426 candidates, Province-1 has 21,522 and Karnali Province has 12,596 vying for various posts. 

What’s more, 3,238 are vying for the mayoral posts across the country. Of them 3,009 are males and 229 are females. As per the EC’s data 3,092 are vying for the post of rural municipality chairs, of which 2,937 are males and 155 are females.

Similarly, 1,964 candidates are in the fray for deputy mayoral posts, including 530 males and 1,434 females.

A total of 2,163 candidates are competing for the deputy-chair of the rural municipalities, including 520 males and 1,643 females, EC’s data shows.

Furthermore, 31,550 candidates are in the fray for the post of ward chair. Of which, 32,550 are males and 947 are females. In addition, 25,596 candidates are competing for ward female members and 23,284 for Dalit women member. 

Likewise, 53,173 candidates are contesting polls for the post of ward member, including 50,766 males and 2,407 females. 

Nepal is holding second local elections since the promulgation of the Constitution in 2015 in a single phase on May 13 to elect 35,221 representatives for six metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities and 460 rural municipalities.

In municipalities, 586 mayors and deputy mayors and in rural municipalities, 920 chairs and vice chairs will be elected. A total of 33,715 office bearers will be elected for 6,743 wards.