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The Judicial Council has recommended the names of Chief Returning Officers and Returning Officers to conduct the by-election scheduled to take place on December 1.

The Council has recommended the names to the Election Commission to appoint them as Chief Returning Officers in 31 districts.

Likewise, the Council has recommended Kathmandu District Court Judge Ram Prasad Sharma as the Justice of newly-constituted Consumer Court and Gyanendra Raj Regmi as its member.

The district court judges have been recommended as Chief Returning Officers for by-election.

The Council has recommended Returning Officers for by-election to be held in six local government units.

Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya submitted the 'Report on the By-election to the Member of House of Representatives and the Province Assembly, 2081 BS', along with the election results to President Ram Chandra Paudel on Thursday.

Chief Election Commissioner Thapaliya presented to the President the By-election, 2081 BS Report in accordance with the Clause 62 of the House of Representatives Member Election Act, 2074 BS, states a communiqué issued by spokesperson at the Office of the President, Shailaja Regmi Bhattarai.

The CPN-UML has decisively won the recent by-elections in Ilam-2 for the House of Representatives and Bajhang (A) for Sudurpashchim Provincial Assembly, signaling a significant shift in political dynamics.

In Ilam-2, Suhang Nembang secured an impressive victory with 27,772 votes, surpassing his closest rival Dambar Bahadur Khadka from the Nepali Congress who garnered 21,942 votes. Similarly, in Bajhang (A), Daman Bahadur Bhandari clinched a narrow win over NC’s Abhishek Bahadur Singh with a margin of just 267 votes.

Prior to the elections, uncertainties loomed due to internal divisions within both the NC and UML, as well as the emergence of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, which had shown considerable strength in previous by-elections in Tanahun and Chitwan. However, the latest by-election results underscore the UML’s successful efforts to fortify its organizational structure, reflecting positively on its strategies.

Since the 2022 general elections, the UML has been actively engaging with the public through initiatives like Mission Grassroots and Sankalpa Yatra, demonstrating a commitment to connect with constituents at all levels. Senior UML figures attribute their recent victories to adept management of internal discord in Ilam and Bajhang.

“We are encouraged by the by-elections results. The results show that the party has succeeded in managing the intra-party rift both in Ilam and Bhajang,” a senior UML leader said.  

The UML’s unveiling of the Mission ‘84 campaign, aimed at the 2027 general elections, indicates a strategic push to ascend as the leading political force. The outcomes of the Ilam-2 and Bajhang (A) by-elections hint at a potential shift in power dynamics, with the UML poised to challenge the NC’s dominance.

Conversely, the NC faces a significant setback in the aftermath of the recent by-elections, echoing previous defeats to the RSP in Tanahu and Chitwan. Meanwhile, the erosion of voter support, exemplified by a substantial decline in votes for both the NC and UML in Ilam, underscores the urgent need for both parties to reassess their strategies.

The overall votes of both UML and NC have gone down in Ilam. In the 2022 general elections, the UML candidate Subas Chandra Nembang had secured 30,020 votes, while the NC’s Dambar Bahadur Khadka had garnered 29,006 votes. In the latest by-election, the UML candidate secured around 2,000 fewer votes than last time and the NC lost around 7,000 votes. 

Losing around 7,000 voters should be a matter of grave concern for the NC, but the party leadership seems unfazed.

The rise of identity politics, particularly evident in Ilam’s electoral landscape, presents a formidable challenge to traditional parties like the NC and UML. Independent candidate Dakendra Singh Limbu’s robust performance underscores the resonance of identity-based narratives, posing a challenge for established parties.

Whether they believe it or not, despite UML’s victory in the recent by-elections, major political parties face serious challenges in the coming days. A key challenge for the established old parties is to retain their cadres and supporters.

And while the RSP candidate did not put on a strong electoral show, the party’s rising popularity, especially among young voters, cannot be discounted when Nepal goes to general elections in 2027.  

Looking ahead, both the NC and UML confront an uphill challenge of retaining their support base amidst the emergence of new political forces like the RSP. The need for organizational rejuvenation, coupled with a shift toward younger, more dynamic leadership, emerges as a critical imperative for both parties.

It could be argued that Suhang Nembang won the by-election in Ilam-2 due to the sympathy vote following the death of his father and former UML Vice-chairperson Subas Chandra Nembang. But the party, unlike the NC, has at least realized that there are problems within the party organization and that support base is dwindling. The party is willing to put in the hard work necessary to retain its cadres and voters. 

For the NC, the latest by-election results once again send a clear message that the party needs to wake up and  work hard to strengthen its organizational strength, resolve the intra-party rift, and pick young and fresh candidates. It is no more business as usual.

CPN-UML candidate Suhang Nembang has been elected as a member of the House of Representatives from Ilam-2.

He defeated Nepali Congress candidate Dambar Khadka by a wide margin to emerge victorious.

Nembang garnered 27, 772 votes while his closest contender Nepali Congress candidate Khadka obtained 21, 942 votes.

Similarly, independent candidate Dekendra Singh Thegim received 11, 457 votes and Rastriya Swatantra Party’s Milan Limbu got 5, 050 votes.

The by-election was held in Ilam after the demise of Suhang’s father Subash Nembang.

Vote count is underway in Bajhang Constituency 1, Province Assembly (a).

As per the latest update, Nepali Congress (NC) candidate Abhishek Bahadur Singh is leading the vote count by 264 votes.

He has obtained 7,492 votes while his close contender CPN-UML's Daman Bahadur Bhandari got 7,228, informed Chief Returning Officer Sudarshan Lamichhane.

Likewise, CPN (Maoist Center) candidate Janak Bahadur Budha secured 2,895 votes while CPN (Unified Socialist)'s Dil Bahadur Singh obtained 2,102 votes.

So far, the counting of votes in Chhabispathibhera Rural Municipality, Thalara Rural Municipality-9, Khaptadchanna Rural Municipality, Jayaprithvi Municipality and Surma Rural Municipality has been completed.

A total of 30,328 votes or 49.12 percent votes were cast in the by-election in Bajhang Province Assembly (A).

There were 61,748 voters in the constituency.

A total of 11 candidates were in the race in Bajhang by-election.

Vote count of the by-election held in Ilam constituency-2 is underway.

CPN-UML candidate Suhang Nembang is leading in the vote count.

According to the latest update, Nembang has secured 8,898 votes. Similarly, Nepali Congress candidate Dambar Bahadur Khadka has received 6,280 votes. Similarly, Independent candidate Dekendra Singh Limbu Thegim obtained 4, 634 votes while Milan Kumar Yonghang Limbu of Rastriya Swatantra Party garnered 1, 305 votes.

A total of 19 candidates, including 12 political parties and seven independents, are in the fray for the by-election.

As by-elections draw closer in Ilam-2 for House of Representatives (HoR) and in Bhajang-2 for Sudurpaschim Provincial Assembly, major parties have expedited their election campaigns and top leaders are preparing to reach the constituencies to back their candidates.

This will be the second by-elections since the 2022 national elections in which the Nepali Congress emerged as the largest party while the CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) polled in second and third respectively. However, the most talked about outcome of the election was the emergence of the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) as the fourth largest party.

In the first by-election held in Tanahu and Chitwan in 2023, RSP candidates Swarnim Wagle and Rabi Lamichhane both registered thumping victories against the candidates fielded by major parties. So winning the Ilam-2 by-election—and winning it with a big margin—has  become a prestige issue for major parties. And it is not just prestige that is on the line for them. If the RSP candidate were to win in Ilam-2, it could very well mean game over for the big parties. 

The RSP is already popular among a large section of young urban Nepalis. If the party wins the Ilam-2 constituency, some Nepali Congress (NC) leaders say it could disrupt the voting pattern in the rest of the country in future elections. In other words, there is a high likelihood of RSP emerging as a major—if not the largest—political entity in Nepal come the next general election of 2027.

To stop the RSP, the two ruling parties UML and Maoist have forged an electoral alliance in Ilam-2. They have fielded the UML candidate, Suhang Nembang, son of late UML Vice-chairman Subas Chandra Nembang. Another ruling coalition partner, CPN (Unified Socialist), has refused to support Nembang and has come up with its own candidates. The main opposition, NC, has also fielded its own candidate in the fray.  

Cross-party leaders who just returned from Ilam predict that it is going to be a tight electoral race. 

 “There are intra-party rifts within both NC and UML, and as the voting day nears, it remains to be seen how these intra-party rifts will be managed,” says Nain Singh Mahar, a NC leader who recently visited Ilam. 

A large chunk of UML cadres are unhappy with the candidate selection in Ilam-2, stating that those who had been working for the party for a long time were sidelined. They argue that Suhang may very well be the son of a senior party leader who contested and won many elections from Ilam-2, but he doesn’t know anything about the constituency he represents. 

The Ilam-2 constituency became vacant following the death of UML Vice-chair Subas Chandra Nembang, in September last year. A total of 19 candidates—12 from different political parties and seven independents—are contesting in the by-election. 

The main contest is expected to be among UML’s Suhang Nembang, NC’s Dambar Bahadur Khadka, RSP’s Milan Limbu, and independent candidate Dakendra Singh Limbu Thegim.

Suhang has the support of the UML, Maoist Center and the Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav). He has been appealing to the voters to write down their needs, problems, and aspirations on paper, assuring that he and his party will fulfill them.

Meanwhile NC’s Khadka, who was edged by Subash Chandra Nembang with just 114 votes in the last general election, hopes to win this time. But in 2022, he had received votes from various coalition partners, including the Maoist Center. 

This time the Maoist party is supporting UML’s Suhang. UML and Maoist Center have signed a five-point agreement at the Koshi Province level to secure Suhang's victory. As per the agreement, the by-polls will be a stepping stone for cooperation among left forces to create a foundation for party unification in the future.

However, local UML leaders fear that all Maoist votes may not be transferred to Suhang. Also, there are fears that RSP candidate Milan Limbu, who was earlier with the Maoist Center, will get substantial Maoist votes. 

Some Maoist leaders say about a third of the party’s vote could go to RSP’s Limbu. Although traditional parties have been the major players in Ilam-2, Limbu expects a miraculous vote shift in his favor this time. RSP had received 4,686 proportional representation votes and 1,380 direct votes in 2022.

Independent candidate Dakendra Singh Limbu Thegim also hopes to pull off a surprise electoral victory from Ilam-2, with the support of 41 identity-based groups. He has been reaching out to voters with the agenda of strengthening federalism, identity, equal rights, peace, and sustainable development. 

Thegim has the support of Janata Samajbadi Party as well as identity-based parties like the Rastriya Janamukti Party, Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch, Nepal Samajbadi Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, and Kirat Yakthung Chumlung, Kirat Rai Yayokha, and social organizations, including the Kirat religious guru Atmananda Lingden.

Apart from these four candidates, Jit Bahadur Rai of CPN (Unified Socialist), Lakshmi Gurung of Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Prem Kumar Thamsuhang of the Janmat Party, Shyam Bahadur Darji of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Min Bahadur Limbu of Mongol National Organization, Dhanraj Rana Magar of the National Republic Nepal, Jayant Bikram Shah of the Rastriya Mukti Andolan Nepal, and Ganesh Bahadur Chauhan from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, among others, are in the fray. 

Independent candidates Dak Prasad Gautam, Manoj Niroula, Arjun Kumar Shahi, Dipesh Bohra, Yogendra Gurung, and Raj Basyal are also contesting the election. The constituency comprises all of Chulachuli, Mangsebung and Phakphokthum rural municipalities, as well as parts of Ilam (excluding 10 wards), Deumai, and Mai municipalities. There are 115,342 voters in the constituency

The Election Commission (EC) has enforced the election code of conduct for the April 27 by-elections announced for the Ilam constituency-2 and the Bajhang Province Assembly 1(A).

The House of Representatives (HoR) by-election is taking place in Ilam and the Provincial Assembly election in Bajhang.

The election code of conduct aims to ensure that the elections will be held in a free, fair, safe, and credible atmosphere, it is said.

 According to EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Poudel, the election code of conduct is applied to political parties, election candidates, sister, and other affiliated organizations, and all the stakeholders and its violation is punishable by law. It has also set limits for the election expenditures for political parties and the candidates.

The pre-election campaign which includes the publicity campaign, rallies, mass meetings, corner meetings, other gatherings, and the use of the means of transport and media shall be in line with the provisions mandated by the code of conduct.

The Election Commission has urged all eligible Nepali citizens, who missed to register their name in voters' name list due to various reasons, to register their names before announcement of the date for the by-election.

It has started internal preparation for determining the date for by-election as per the law on appropriate time by consulting with the government of Nepal to fill up the vacant posts through by-poll.

The EC today urged the eligible Nepali citizens across the country, who missed to register their names in voters' list due to various reasons, especially the eligible citizens of concerned local-levels, province assembly constituency and House of Representatives constituency to register their name in electoral roll before announcement of the date for by-election.

A total of 23 posts had fallen vacant in different local levels, province assembly and House of Representatives after local-level election held on April 23 and election for the Province Assembly and HoR on November 20, 2023.

The EC has been regularly registering voter name lists through province and district election offices.

A press release issued by EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Poudel reads that the EC is confident that all the eligible Nepali citizens across the country have been registered in the electoral roll as per the existing legal provision related to voter registration.