EC distributes election symbols for municipal polls

January 29, 2006
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The Election Commission (EC) has distributed election symbols to the candidates competing for the municipal polls slated for February 8.

According to EC, a total of 3,654 candidates are contesting for the posts of 4,146 representatives in one metropolitan city, three sub-metropolitan cities and 53 municipalities.

The candidates representing the parties received an official icon while the others received symbols as independent candidates.

The Commission has given approval to 72 parties to contest the polls. Of the total 3654 candidates, 1502 are party candidates while 2152 are independent ones.

According to EC it has distributed a total of 136 symbols for voting purpose. These symbols include cap, bicycle, airplane, matchbox, bucket, elephant, pitcher, trident, umbrella, telephone set, book, and spectacles.

Talking to Nepalnews on Sunday, Tej Muni Bajracharya, spokesman at the EC said the EC distributed symbols on the independent basis for parties that had not received the status of National parties.

“We fixed symbols of mayors, deputy mayors, ward chairmen and members on different categories,” he added.

The election symbol of national parties, which secured three percent votes in the previous election, will be secure for purpose of municipal polls as well.

All four National parties are not contesting in the municipal polls.

According to EC, it will publish a new timetable for the positions without any nominations once the first rounds of elections were held.

According to the Commission, there are a total of 1,942,999 voters in 58 municipalities.

The Commission has taken a decision to permit domestic and international organisations to observe the municipal elections. It has sought applications from those interested in observation to ensure free and fair election despite the call of seven party alliance to boycott it.