KATHMANDU: The Election Commission has ordered to conduct re-polling in ward number 19 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City on Saturday.

According to Surya Prasad Sharma, EC Spokesperson, the Commission has directed the Chief Returning Officer of Bharatpur Metropolis to conduct re-voting in the disputed ward. However, the date for re-voting is yet to be decided,  added Sharma.

Speaking to THT Online over the phone, the mayoral candidate of CPN UML Devi Prasad Gyawali has objected the decision saying the EC has condoned the tearing of ballot papers with votes. "The Commission failed to maintain its impartiality."

He further accused the cadres of CPN Maoist Centre of tearing the ballot papers as per their plan, adding that the votes were torn as he was ahead of his nearest competitor Renu Dahal, a daughter of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Meanwhile, CPN-UML lawmaker Rabindra Adhikari said that the Election Commission might have taken the decision coming under the pressure from the government.

"This is very unfortunate and unfair. They should have continued to count the ballot papers instead," added Adhikari.

मतगणना स्थल कब्जा भएकोले पुन निर्वाचन भन्ने अनि कब्जा गर्नेलाइ उन्मुक्ति ! यो कस्तो कुरा हो सरकार ? निर्वाचन अायोग ? कब्जा गर्नेलाइ सम्मान

— Rabindra Adhikari (@RabindraADH) June 3, 2017

Two cadres of CPN Maoist Centre had torn as many as 90 ballot papers with votes on Sunday midnight, May 28, halting the vote counting process in Bharatpur.

Though police immediately arrested the duo, they were released on Rs 100,000 bail each on June 1 by the Chitwan District Court.