The printing of ballot papers for the upcoming local-level by-elections on December 1 has been completed. According to Election Commission spokesperson Nita Pokharel Aryal, some districts have already received election materials, including the ballots.
A total of 259,000 ballot papers have been printed, with the printing process concluding on Saturday.
For the Kirtipur Municipality mayoral election, the ballot paper includes 20 election symbols. At the top row, the symbols of major parties—CPN-UML, Nepali Congress, CPN-Maoist Centre, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party—are arranged sequentially.
The ballot paper for the vice-chairperson election in Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality of East Rukum has the fewest symbols. Since only the Maoist Centre and the UML-Congress alliance are competing, the ballot paper contains just two symbols: a sickle and hammer for the Maoists and a tree for the UML-Congress alliance. Notably, UML is contesting under the Congress’s tree symbol due to their electoral alliance.
A total of 376 candidates are contesting for 41 positions in the by-elections. The Election Commission has established 162 polling stations and 293 polling centres for the voting process.
The by-election involves 226,799 registered voters, including 114,900 male voters, 111,896 female voters, and three others.
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress candidates Tek Raj Bhattarai and Tika Kumari Chaudhary (Bhool) have been elected unopposed as chairpersons of the District Coordination Committees in Okhaldhunga and Kailali, respectively. Similarly, Maoist candidate Jagat Gharti has been elected unopposed as ward chairperson in Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality-2 of East Rukum.
