KATHMANDU, June 6: Baikuntha Neupane, the mayor of Byas Municipality, has challenged the Pokhara High Court's order to recount votes in Byas Municipality by filing a writ petition at the Supreme Court. The hearing on the writ petition that seeks an interim order is scheduled for June 9.

The High Court’s decision followed a final hearing on a petition by Deepak Raj Joshi, a candidate for mayor of Byas Municipality. The court ruled in favor of Joshi, considering his claim substantial. The verdict was delivered by a joint bench of High Court Judges Rajan Prasad Bhattarai and Nirmala Poudel Bhattarai.

Joshi had filed the writ on May 26, 2022, naming five parties, including the Election Commission, as defendants, citing alleged irregularities in the vote-counting process. Neupane, who was declared mayor after securing 12,078 votes in the local elections on May 13, 2022, faced a close contest with Joshi, who received 11,826 votes.