Kathmandu, Jan 14: A total of 175 candidates have withdrawn their names from the closed list submitted under the proportional representation (PR) system for the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) elections scheduled for March 5.
According to a list published by the Election Commission (EC), candidates representing 17 election symbols, including single-symbol parties, formally withdrew their candidacies. The EC had allowed candidates to withdraw their names from the closed list until January 12.
Assistant Spokesperson of the EC, Kul Bahadur GC, confirmed that all 175 withdrawals were recorded within the stipulated period. The withdrawals include candidates from both multi-party election symbols and parties contesting under a single election symbol.
The highest number of withdrawals—110 candidates—came from the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP). The EC stated that the party withdrew these names after entering into an electoral alliance with other political parties.
Similarly, 20 candidates from the Janamat Party, 12 from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), six from Janadesh Party Nepal, and five from the CPN (UML) withdrew their names.
Four candidates each from the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) and Rashtranirman Dal Nepal also withdrew their candidacies. Likewise, two candidates each from the Nepali Congress, Unnat Loktantrik Party, Nepali Communist Party, and Rastriya Swatantra Party withdrew from the PR closed list.
Additionally, one candidate each from the United Democratic National Forum, United Citizens Party, Rastriya Mukti Party Nepal, and the Janata Samajwadi Party contesting under the single election symbol ‘Janto (grinder)’ withdrew their names. One candidate each from the Gatishil Loktantrik Party, Nepal Janata Party, and Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party also withdrew.
Political parties had submitted their proportional representation closed lists to the Election Commission on December 28 and 29.
The forthcoming general elections will elect a total of 275 members to the House of Representatives—165 through the direct election system and 110 through the proportional representation system. #nepal #election
