Voting starts in Ilam-2 and Bajhang-1(A)

April 27, Kathmandu: By-elections have started in Ilam and Bajhang districts.

The by-elections are taking place today for the House of Representatives seat of Ilam Constituency-2 and the Province Assembly seat of Bajhang Constituency-1 (A).

The voting started at 7:00 am and will conclude at 5:00 pm in the two constituencies. The by-elections are being held in these two constituencies after the two posts had remained vacant following the death of HoR member Subas Nembang and Province Assembly member Prithivi Bahadur Singh.

Subas Nembang of the CPN (UML), elected from Ilam-2, passed away from a heart attack on September 12, 2023, while Prithvi Bahadur Singh of the Nepali Congress, elected from Bajhang-1(A) passed away in a road accident on July 10, 2023.

A total of 19 candidates including Suhang Rai of the CPN (UML), Damber Khadka of the Nepali Congress and Milan Limbu of the Rastriya Swatantra Party are contesting in the Ilam by-election while 12 candidates in Bajhang including Abhishek Bahadur Singh of the Nepali Congress, Daman Bhandari of the CPN (UML), Janak Budha of the CPN (Maoist Centre) and Dil Bahadur Singh of the CPN (Unified Socialist).

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has urged all voters to exercise their voting rights without fear.