Nepal Prepares for Local-Level By-Elections on December 1

Nepal is set to hold by-elections on December 1 to fill 44 vacant positions at the local level, according to the National Election Commission. These positions, left vacant due to various circumstances, include key leadership roles such as two district coordination committee chiefs, two rural municipality chairpersons, four vice-chairpersons, one mayor, one deputy mayor, and 34 ward chairpersons across multiple districts.

By-elections will be held for the chief of district coordination committees in Okhaldhunga and Kailali, the mayor of Kirtipur Municipality in Kathmandu, and the deputy mayor of Nalgad Municipality in Jajarkot. Vacancies for rural municipality chairpersons will be contested in Gramthan Rural Municipality (Morang), Mahabu Rural Municipality (Dailekh), Gaurishankar Rural Municipality (Dolakha), Sarkegad Rural Municipality (Humla), and Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality (Bajura).

Ward chair by-elections will take place in several municipalities and rural municipalities, including Siriganga Rural Municipality-3 (Taplejung), Kankai Municipality-6 (Jhapa), Laligurans Municipality-8 (Tehrathum), and Gadhi Rural Municipality-6 (Sunsari). Additional ward chair elections will be held in other localities such as Triyuga Municipality (Udayapur), Belka Municipality-9, Dakneshwari Municipality wards 1 and 4 (Saptari), and Dhanushadham Municipality-1 (Dhanusha).

Further elections will cover wards in Ramgopalpur Municipality-2 (Mahottari), Ishnath Municipality-7 (Rautahat), Rajpur Municipality-6, Gadhimai Municipality-8, Kirtipur Municipality wards 1 and 4 (Kathmandu), and ward 16 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, among others.

Election Commission Information Officer Suman Ghimire emphasized the importance of these by-elections in maintaining leadership continuity at the local level. By-election preparation is underway to ensure that these positions are filled to enhance governance at the local level across Nepal.