DHANGADHI: Nepali Congress has maintained the lead in the province number 7 as vote counting of 76 local bodies have been completed so far this evening, Election Commission said.

The second phase of local level elections were held in 35 districts of province number 1, 5 and 7 on June 28.

NC has claimed 38 posts with UML following in the second spot with 31 posts where as Maoist Centre is lagging far behind with just 6 victories in the province.

Province number 7 has a Sub-Metropolitan City, 33 Municipalities, 54 Rural Municipalities.

Similarly, the results of 8 local units in Kailali district and 4 local bodies in Kanchanpur district are awaited.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has said that the preparations are underway to hold the local level elections in the Province number 2 on September 18.