KATHMANDU: Around 73 per cent voters have cast their votes in the third phase of local level elections held in eight districts of Province 2 on Monday, said the Election Commission. The polls had been rescheduled twice earlier.

The Election Commission has successfully concluded the third phase of local level elections in a fair, free and peaceful environment, said Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav in a press conference today. "The security personnel held 38 bogus voters and 10 persons for violating the laws from various district during the polls. They have been taken under control for further action."

"The counting of votes will begin in some local levels from tonight itself," he added. However, an all-party meeting is yet to be held to decide when to start the counting.

“Voters showed enthusiasm and took part actively in the third round of local polls,”added Yadav. "The civic polls will open new doors for the development of the country."

Meanwhile, the polls could not be held in Rajbiraj-15 of Saptari district after a candidate for ward chairman from the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, Mahanthi Yadav, died of blood cancer on September 16. It has been postponed for September 21.

The Chief Election Commissioner also thanked the political parties, candidates, national organisations, diplomatic missions and security personnel among others for their support in making the third phase of civic polls a successful one. The representatives from the diplomatic missions were allowed to observe the local polls in Janakpur, Bardibas, Birgunj and Simara.

The final round of civic polls were held in 136 local levels including one metropolitan city, three sub-metropolitan cities, 73 municipalities and 59 rural municipalities of eight districts in Province 2.

The Commission had set up 2,166 polling stations and 3,578 poling centres for the third phase of local elections.

As many as 2,664,950 eligible voters would elect 6,627 local body representatives from the third phase of local level elections.

Earlier, the Rastriya Janta Party Nepal had boycotted the first and second phases of local polls after the government failed to address their demands including constitution amendment and increasing local levels in Madhesh in proportion to its population among others.

Later, after a mutual consent between Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, the party agreed to take part in third phase of civic polls that had been rescheduled to September 18 as the government had fulfilled most of their demands.

Meanwhile, around 71 per cent voters had taken part in the first phase of local level elections in Provinces 3, 4 and 6 on May 14 whereas 73.69 per cent voters had cast their votes in the second phase of local polls held in Provinces 1, 5 and 7 on June 28.

According the Constitutional requirement, the three-tier of elections—local, provincial and federal— should be held by January 21. The provincial and parliamentary elections have been slated on November 26 and December 7, for the implementation of Constitution and Federalism in the country.

The Commission has already started necessary preparations for the provincial and parliamentary elections, informed the Chief Election Commissioner.

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