EC says 298 teams counting votes vigorously

Kathmandu - Counting of votes under the third phase local level elections held in eight districts of Province 2 on September 18 is now underway in 133 local levels, except in Rajbiraj Municipality. 

According to the Joint Election Operation Centre (JEOC) at the Election Commission, 298 vote counting teams are currently carrying out the counting at the 134 local levels. The counting is going on at all the local levels in a peaceful and smooth manner as of 9.30 am today. 

Meanwhile, the CPN (Maoist Centre)'s candidate for the post of Ward Chair of Garuda Municipality, Ward Number 3 has registered an application seeking re-count of votes at the ward after the Nepali Congress candidate for the post won by a single vote. The local election office has stated that the vote counting will be resumed at this ward immediately after the local political parties reach an agreement on the issue. 

Similarly, the counting of votes in Baragadhi rural municipality of Bara district was halted over the issue that the ballot boxes there were opened without the presence of the CPN (Maoist Centre) representatives. Information has been received at the JEOC that efforts are on to resume the vote count after forging political consensus among the parties. 

Counting of votes will start in Rajbiraj Municipality after voting takes place at Ward Number 15 of the municipality on September 21. Election at this ward could not take place on September 18 due to the death of an election candidate belonging to the Rastriya Janata Party.