KATHMANDU, APRIL 30The Election Commission has stated that more than 8,000 candidates have withdrawn their candidacies from various positions for the upcoming local level elections. Nutrition-friendly Local Level Implementation Directive issued Election Commission calls for registration of political parties Commission Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Poudel told THT that out of a total of over 153,000 candidates, 8,000 person had withdrawn their candidacies yesterday, the day allocated for the candidates who wanted to withdraw their names.

"We have completed the withdrawal of around 8,000 applications. Some of them are still undergoing the meticulous process of withdrawal, after which we will be able to provide the exact data," Poudel said.

The candidates had registered their nomination on April 24 and 25.The EC has also completed its task of providing election symbols to all the candidates representing various political parties as well as independent candidates by 5:00pm."It is confirmed that all the candidates have been provided with election symbols according to their party affiliation or separate election signs for independent candidates,"Poudel said.The EC has fixed UML's election symbol, Sun, in the first row of the ballot paper as it had become the largest party in the last election.

Likewise, NC's symbol, tree can be found on the second row.Similarly, the Maoist Centre's hammer and sickle enclosed by a circle has been put on the third row, Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal 's umbrella on the fourth row, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party's bicycle on the fifth row and Unified Socialist's pen on the sixth row.Similarly, parties without national recognition but registered with the EC have received their respective election symbols, while independent candidates have been asked to choose their election symbols from an array of symbols provided by the EC.

Earlier, the Election Commission had scheduled to finalise the election symbols by 5:00pm today.A total of 153,145 people representing various political parties and independent leaders had filed their candidacies for the election on April 12.

However, with the withdrawal of 8,000 candidates today, around 145,145 candidates will contest the upcoming election.The candidates will compete for a total of 35,221 positions, including top leadership positions such as mayor, deputy mayor, chair, and vice-chair of 753 local bodies, 6,743 ward chairs, and five members in each ward which should include women and Dalit members.A version of this article appears in the print on May 01, 2022, of The Himalayan Times. .

This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com