Kathmandu, December 22

The Supreme Court today issued a show cause notice to the Election Commission and other defendants in a case filed by Nepali Congress leader Pradip Paudel.

Paudel, who was a Nepali Congress candidate in Tanahun provincial first-past-the-post Constituency 2 ‘A’ lost the election to left alliance candidate Asha Koirala by a slim margin of five votes. He has demanded re-polling in some polling centres.

The show cause notice was issued by a constitutional bench of Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli and justices Deepak Raj Joshi, Om Prakash Mishra, Cholendra Shamsher JB Rana and Dipak Kumar Karki. The bench has also summoned both parties on January 3 to consider whether or not an interim order should be issued. Paudel has stated in his case that 42 bogus votes were found in the ballot box.

Paudel’s lawyer Rajaram Thapa told The Himalayan Times that only 2,328 votes were cast in five polling centres of Shukla Gandaki Municipality and Vyas Municipality, but 42 excess votes were found in the ballot boxes and therefore, his client sought re-polling in those five polling centres. NC leader Paudel has named the Election Commission and Election Office, Tanahun, as defendants, among others.