KATHMANDU, Nov 14: Only women will be allowed candidacy for the position of vice chairperson of four rural municipalities in the upcoming by-elections.
According to the Election Commission of Nepal, only women will be permitted to apply for the post of vice chairperson of Gaurishankar Rural Municipality in Dolakha, Nalgad Rural Municipality in Jajarkot, Sarkegad Rural Municipality in Humla and Swamikartik Rural Municipality in Bajura.
The commission has reached the policy decision that only women can be candidates from political parties as men, who were elected as the chairperson of those rural municipalities, are still in office. The by-election will be held on December 1.
Women’s Participation in Elections in Nepal
In by-elections, elections are held for chairperson or vice chairperson positions in seven local levels. Among them, women have been made mandatory for the other positions as a male candidate had already been elected previously.
This arrangement will not be mandatory where there is already a woman representative in the chairperson or vice chairperson positions. Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, the chief election commissioner, said that it has been decided that if a man has already been elected to one of the vacancies in the post of chairperson or vice chairperson, only women candidates can obtain candidacy for the other position.
Similarly, elections are also being held for the chairperson or vice chairperson of three other local bodies apart from women only being allowed to be candidates. Elections are also being held for the post of Chairman of Gramthan Rural Municipality of Morang, chairperson of Kirtipur Municipality, chairperson of Mahabu Rural Municipality of Dailekh.
However, since women have already been elected, the restrictive system will not be applied to the vacant posts at the local level.
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