KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 16

Two members from the sexual and gender minority community, third-gender woman Deepak Maharjan alias Hani Maharjan and Rajeev Maharjan alias Mouni Maharjan, have declared their candidacy for Mayor of Kirtipur Municipality and candidacy for Ward No. 4 Chairperson, respectively, for the local by-elections to be held on December 1.

Only men and women lead at the local level across the country. Members from the sexual and gender minority community announced their candidature in Kirtipur for the first time.

The Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal (JSP-N), led by Upendra Yadav, has announced two LGBTIQA+ candidates: Hani, mayor of Kirtipur municipality, and Mouni, ward president of Ward Number 4.

'It's an extremely important leap that under the leadership of JSP-N, two members of the sexual and gender minority community-third-gender woman Hani Maharjan and Mouni Maharjan-have declared their candidacy for Mayor of Kirtipur Municipality and Ward Number 4 chairperson,' said Sunil Babu Pant, the first openly gay member of Parliament in Asia from Nepal and Executive Director, Maya Ko Pahichan Nepal.

He further said, 'They will be registering their candidatures tomorrow, 17 November. Today, at the office of Maya Ko Pehichaan Nepal, they made their candidacy announcement. We call upon everyone to vote for them under the JSP Nepal 'umbrella' symbol and help them win.'

Maya Ko Pahichan, which has been advocating for the rights of sexual and gender minorities, has succeeded in getting a candidate for mayor and Mouni Ward chairperson through their initiative.

Hani and Mouni expressed their interest in running for office during a discussion at Maya Ko Pahichan about the participation and representation of Nepal's sexual and gender minorities in politics.

In a bid to make them contest in an upcoming by-poll, Maya Ko Pahichan went to the JSP-N office and requested to make them candidates in an upcoming by-poll. 'We took Hani and Mouni to the JSP-N office and proposed that they become candidates,' said Surendra Pandey, secretary of Maya Ko Pahichan Nepal. 'They responded positively, provided tickets, and now we will begin campaigning to win the election.'

Hani and Mouni announced their candidature during a press conference held on Saturday at Maya Ko Pahichan Nepal's office.

Bidyut Bajracharya, Vice President of the JSP-N, stated at the event that while the state has ignored the identity of LGBTIQA+, the party cannot. As a result, the JSP-N is working to elect the party's candidate as mayor and ward chair of Kirtipur.

Hani, a mayoral candidate, expressed her immense pride at being nominated by the JSP-N. She stated that she will make a significant contribution to Kirtipur's development while also addressing the issues facing the sexual and gender minority communities, which are extremely marginalised and suppressed.

'I will live a clean and ethical life by putting public good ahead of private or personal interests,' Hani stated. 'I will continue to fight for liberty, equality, justice, and socialism.'

Furthermore, Hani has pledged to make Kirtipur a clean, beautiful, and corruption-free city. The mayoral candidate Hani's manifesto, which aims to improve e-governance services and eliminate youth unemployment, has been made public.

Meanwhile, nominations for candidates running in the upcoming by-election can be submitted from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, according to the Election Commission.

The 44 vacant seats across the country will be filled through a by-election on December 1. Nita Pokharel, Joint Secretary and Spokesperson, stated that nominations would be registered in the election officer's office at the respective local levels.

The candidate lists will be published on the same day, between 5 and 6 p.m., according to Spokesperson Pokharel.

The Commission stated that the preparation for the registration of candidates has been completed, and that 32 offices have been set aside for chief election officers, with six more set aside for election officers at the local level.

Following the nomination process, any complaints against candidates could be filed between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on November 18.

The Election Commission will review and decide on the complaints in order to finalise the candidate list by 5 to 6 p.m. the following day.

Candidates who wish to withdraw their candidature may do so between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on November 20, while the final list of candidates will be published between 1pm and 3pm on the same day.

Election symbols will be distributed to candidates between 3 and 5 p.m. on November 20, with the by-election taking place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on December 1.