By-election in 37 districts today

Kathmandu, Nov. 29

By-election for 52 different posts of the Federal Parliament, State Assembly and Local levels is being held in 37 districts on Saturday. 


Voting will begin from 7:00 in the morning to 5:00 in the evening.

Polls will be held in 247 polling booths and 537 voting centres.


 There will be 32 polling booths and 82 voting centres for the election of the member of the House of Representatives, 87 booths and 174 centres for three members of the State Assembly and 137 booths and 281 centres for local level representatives. 


The ECN has assured the voters of their security in the constituencies where polls are happening and urged them to participate in the polls in a fearless manner. 


“We have arranged every security provision for the election and voters so we urge the voters to participate in the process to elect their representatives at the national and sub-national level without any fear, threat and doubt,” said Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya. 


He said that the only candidates, voters and the individuals having permission as per the election law can enter the election centre. He urged one and all to respect the election law and the process in order to respect the right of the people to vote and create conducive environment for the polls. 


Of the 52 positions for which the election is being held, one is for the House of Representatives and three for the State Assembly. 


Lawmaker from Kaski district constituency 2 Rabindra Adhikari died in a chopper crash in Taplejung. He was the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Likewise, three positions of State Assembly of – Bhaktapur of State 3, Baglung of Gandaki State and Dang of State 5 – had remained vacant due to the death of previously elected Assembly members Hari Sharan Lamichhane, Tek Bahadur Gharti and Uttar Kumar Oli respectively. 


In the local levels, death of Mayor of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City in Sunsari district Tara Subba, Chairman of Falgunanda Rural Municipality in Panchthar Amar Kumar Nembang, Chairman of Makalu Rural Municipality in Sankhuwasabha Khadga Bahadur Katuwal, Chairman of Pipara Rural Municipality in Mahottari Binod Chaudhari and Vice-Chair of Kharpunath Rural Municipality in Humla Sindhu Hamal has created the vacancies. 


Similarly, the elections will be held in 43 different local bodies to elect the ward chairs. 


Thapaliya said that the ECN had made arrangement for those who had lost their voter identity cards as well. Voters can exercise their voting rights with the citizenship certificate, passport, driving license and other government issued valid identity cards. 


About 470,333 voters will exercise their voting rights in the by-elections on Saturday.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 November 2019.