CHITWAN: As many as 90 ballot papers were found to be torn by cadres of the CPN Maoist Centre in Bharatpur Metropolitan City of Chitwan district.

The ballot papers were counted in the presence of 46 persons including political party representatives, candidates, Chief District Officer and security officials, as directed by the Election Commission on Wednesday.

According to Chief Returning Officer Kabi Prasad Neupane, of the 2, 897 votes cast in ward number 19, as many as 1,809 votes have already been counted. "998 papers have been torn in such a way that they cannot be counted. 90 were found to have completely destroyed," said Neupane.

A report on this will be sent to Election Commission today itself, he informed.

Similarly, Nepali Congress leader Jit Narayan Shrestha said that the party had earlier asked for re-voting but would now agree with EC's decision.

Meanwhile, the two CPN Maoist Centre cadres, who were detained for their involvement in the incident, have been released after depositing Rs 100,000 bail each.

A single bench of Justice Basudev Paudel at the Chitwan District Court released Dron Babu Shiwakoti and Madhu Neupane on bail.

The concerned authorities have asked punishment for the duo under Election (Crime and Punishment) Act-2073.