KATHMANDU, APRIL 29

The vote count has begun in both Ilam-2 and Bajhang 1 (A), following high-voltage polls.

Initially, the Nepali Congress led the polls, but the CPN-UML now leads in both the federal and provincial constituencies as of 12:45 p.m. vote count, according to Election Commission.

Suhang Nembang of the CPN-UML led the Ilam-2 vote count at 12:45 p.m. with 11,078 votes, followed by Dambar Khadka of the Nepali Congress with 7324 votes. Dakendra Singh Limbu, an independent candidate, is in third place with 6901 votes.

The constituency received approximately 60% of the votes cast in the by-election held on Saturday. In Ilam-2, 115,889 people were eligible to vote, but only about 69,287 people exercised their adult franchise rights enshrined fundamentally in the constitution.

The Ilam-2 by-elections saw up to 19 candidates compete. Nineteen candidates, including 12 from political parties and seven independents, are in the fray for the by-election.

During the 2022 federal election, UML's Subas Nembang defeated Khadka by 114 votes. The CPN-MC previously supported Congress candidate Khadka, but it has now formed an alliance with the UML and supported UML.

The Ilam-2 Lower House seat has been vacant since Subas Nembang died of a heart attack in September of last year. Since the 1999 general elections, the UML leader had won the constituency in consecutive terms. Suhang, the youngest son of former Speaker Subas Nembang, was chosen as the CPN-UML's candidate in the Ilam-2 constituency after his father's demise.

Similarly, CPN-UML candidate Daman Bahadur Bhandari has taken an early lead in the Bajhang (A) by-election, with votes counted as of 12:45 p.m. on Monday.

Bhandari has garnered 10,411 votes, while Abhishek Bahadur Singh of the Nepali Congress has 10,391 votes. Janak Bahadur Budha of the CPN-MC ranks third in the election with 3713 votes.

Dil Bahadur Singh of the CPN (US) currently garnered 2449 votes as of 12:30 pm, while Kishor Kumar Khadka of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has 237 votes. The by-election for the provincial assembly seat featured up to 11 candidates.

The Bajhang-1 (A) byelection was held for a seat in the Sudurpaschim Assembly that has been vacant since Prithvi Bahadur Singh, a member and provincial minister, died in a road accident in June of last year.