Narayan Neupane
Kathmandu, June 25: A total of 51 senior citizens having already celebrated their 80th birthday, among them three nonagenarians, have filed their candidacies for different posts for the second-phase of local-level elections taking place in 35 districts of three provinces—1,5 and 7 on coming Wednesday or June 28.
Among the senior candidates, three are the municipality mayoral candidates, two are for the chief of rural municipality, 16 for ward chair and the candidacies of remaining 29 are for ward members under different categories.
As age is never barrier for chasing one’s dream, three electoral candidates are on the eve of celebrating their 100th birthday which is rare opportunity for an average Nepali.
Bishnu Bahadur Rawal who is respected as the centenary man in Bajhang district is contesting for the post of ward chair from the Durgathali Rural Municipality, Ward No. 3 under the Nepali Congress seat. As per his citizenship, his date of birth is Jeth 17, 1976 BS.
His voter identity card number is 09942176 and he is probably the most senior candidate in the second-round of local election, the District Election Office Bajhang has informed the Election Commission about this candidacy.
Likewise, Tek Bahadur Tamang from CPN-UML has filed his candidacy for member in Champa Devi Rural Municipality-5 in Okhaldhunga while Safid Miya, 93, from the same party is running for ward member in Koshi Rural Municipality-8 in Sunsari district.
Similarly, UML’s Hira Mani Sharma Pokharel, 87, is competing for ward chairperson in Itahari Sub Metropolitan City-5 in Sunsari.
Independent candidate Dev Kumar Bharati, 89, is in the race for mayor in Shivaraj Municipality in Kapilvastu.
Lali Ram Tharu from Rastriya Prajatantra Party has filed his candidacy for ward member in Baija Nath Rural Municipality in Banke.
Likewise, Dalit candidate Jasodhara Chamarni, 86, from Mahdesi Janadhikar Forum Loktantrik is competing for ward member in Gulariya Municipality-3 in Bardiya.
Rewanta Bahadur Bista, 81, and Bhagauti Tharu of the same age, both from the RPP have fielded their candidacy for mayor in Tansen Municipality in Palpa and mayor in Kohalpur Municipality in Banke respectively.
Eighty four years old Dambar Bahadur Rai is running for ward chairperson in Phakphokthum Rural Municipality in Ilam from the RPP while independent candidate Devi Singh Thami, 81, for ward chairperson in Sigas Rural Municipality in Baitadi.
88 candidates in their early 20’s
A total of 88 candidates of 21 years have filed their nominations to contest in the second phase of local level election that is taking place in 35 districts across province no 1, 5 and 7 on June 28, according to the Election Commission.
There are 17,510 candidates belonging to 21-37 age-group contesting the upcoming election and 34,756 belonging to 38-60 age group.
Similarly, the number of contenders from 61-79 age group stands at 5,691 who are contesting election for various positions in the local units, said Commission’s senior computer officer Chandra Shah.
The lowest number of voters
The polling station at Himali Rural Municipality-3 in Bajura district records the lowest number of voters at 30 who will cast their ballot in the upcoming election.
Similarly, there are only 40 voters, 21 female and 19 male, registered to cast their ballot at Gyawala polling centre at Phaktanglu in Taplejung district, according to the Commission. RSS
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