Kathmandu, July 20

The Election Commission today unveiled the calendar of the third phase of local polls scheduled for September 18 in 127 local levels of Province 2.

As per the election schedule, candidates can file their nomination papers on September 6 at the office of chief returning officer, returning officer or polling centre of the respective rural municipality or municipality from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

The EC will publish names of candidates after 5:30pm the same day.

People can lodge complaints against candidates between 10:00am and 1:00pm on September 7 at the place where candidates file their nominations.

The poll panel will scrutinise complaints lodged against candidates after 1:00pm on September 7 and on September 8.

The EC will publish names of candidates on September 8 between 11:00am and 1:00pm and the candidates can withdraw their candidacy before 5:00pm the same day. The poll panel will publish final list of candidates between 10:00am and 11:00am on September 9.

The EC said it would provide election symbols to candidates between 11:00am and 5:00pm on September 9.

Voting for the third phase of civic polls will be conducted between 7:00am and 5:00pm on September 18.

EC Spokesperson Surya Prasad Sharma said the poll panel had already completed preparation for the third phase of elections. He said all electoral materials – ballot papers, voter identity cards, electoral rolls and other paraphernalia needed for election had already been dispatched to the offices of chief returning officers.

The EC held two phases of elections in 617 local levels of Provinces 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. The first phase was held on May 14 and the second on June 28.