The Election Commission is all set to hold the local bypolls on December 1. Three of the 44 vacant posts have seen representatives elected unopposed. According to the commission, at least 377 people are in the fray for the remaining posts.

The district coordination committee candidates in Kailali and Okhaldhunga won unopposed from the Nepali Congress. While Tek Raj Bhattarai and Tika Kumari Chaudhary of the Congress were unchallenged, CPN (Maoist Centre) candidate Jagat Gharti had no contenders for the Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality ward 2 chairperson post, according to election officials.

“We are all set to conduct the by-elections,” said Nita Pokharel Aryal, spokesperson for the Election Commission.

Although 25 political parties have registered to participate in the by-elections for the local governments, the Hamro Nepal Party, the Nepal Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist), the Nepali Congress (BP), the Nepal Janata Dal, and the Aam Janta Party did not field any contestants. Only 20 political parties are taking part in the election.

According to the Local Level Election Act 2017, if the position of the district coordination committee chief, deputy chief, rural municipality chairman, vice-chairman, municipality mayor, deputy mayor and ward chair falls vacant for any reason before the end of their term and if more than one year of their term remains, the remaining term will be filled through a by-election.

Congress had won most of the seats where the by-elections are taking place. Possibly for that reason, Congress has gone to the by-elections under the command of the party’s General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma.

“Congress won 30 of the seats that are now vacant,” said Shyam Kumar Ghimire, the party's chief whip. “We aim to retain them through the by-election.”

The Congress failed to perform well in the last two by-elections—held in 2023 and April 2024—to elect federal and provincial lawmakers. According to Ghimire, Congress lawmakers from the respective districts where the by-elections are being held are already in their constituency to help the party’s candidates.

“Apart from them, even lawmakers from other districts are in the campaign to make sure Congress candidates win the election,” Ghimire said.

After the Congress, the Maoist Centre lost its seven elected representatives since the last local election. The Maoist leaders also express confidence in retaining the posts.

“Respective leaders in charge of the parties’ provincial committees lead their by-election campaigns, and the federal and provincial lawmakers are also on the campaign trail,” Shreeram Dhakal, the Maoist Centre office secretary, said.

Leaders of CPN-UML, which lost seven ward chairpersons, claim that they will win more seats. While the Congress has fielded its General Secretary Sharma as the election commander, the UML has not given any specific task related to the by-election to any of its central leaders.

“The election department of the party is overseeing the campaign, and our party has not assigned any central leader as the commander per se,” said Niraj Acharya, the UML poll department head.

Among the 30 posts up for grabs, the Congress secured two seats unopposed, while the Maoist Centre took one without contest. The UML and the Maoist Centre do not seem to have put their focus on the by-elections the same way as the Congress. However, federal and provincial lawmakers of the UML in whose district election is taking place are also on the field.

Among the 41 posts, Koshi and Karnali provinces are holding by-elections for eight posts each. Madhesh and Bagmati will witness by-elections for seven posts. Sudurpaschim will have the by-election for five posts and Lumbini six. A by-election will be held in Gandaki for a post only.

The by-election will be held for one municipal mayor, two village council chairmen, four vice-chairmen, one deputy mayor, and 33 ward chairmen. According to the Election Commission, elections will also be held for the mayor of Kirtipur Municipality in Kathmandu and the deputy mayor of Nalgad Municipality in Jajarkot.

Similarly, elections will be held for the posts of chairperson of Gramthan Rural Municipality of Morang and Mahabu Rural Municipality of Dailekh, Gaurishankar Rural Municipality of Dolakha, Sarkegad Rural Municipality of Humla, and vice chairperson of Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality of Bajura.

Elections will be held for the ward chairperson of Sirijanga Rural Municipality-3 of Taplejung, Kankai Municipality-6 of Jhapa, Laligurans Municipality-8 of Tehrathum, Gadhi Rural Municipality-6 of Sunsari, Molung Rural Municipality-5 of Okhaldhunga, and Triyuga Municipality-12 of Udayapur.

Likewise, elections will be held for ward chairpersons in Belka Municipality-9 of Udayapur, Dakneshwari Municipality wards 1 and 4 of Saptari, Dhanushadham Municipality-1 of Dhanusha, Ramgopalpur Municipality-2 of Mahottari, Ishanath Municipality-7, Rajpur Municipality-6 and Gadhimai Municipality-8 of Rautahat.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City ward 16 holds the election for the post of ward chairperson. Two wards of Kirtipur Municipality, 1 and 4, will also have the election.

Kakani Rural Municipality-2 of Nuwakot, Hetauda Sub-metropolitan City-12 of Makawanpur, Gorkha Municipality-5 of Gorkha, Musikot Municipality-1 of Gulmi, Runtigadhi Rural Municipality-4 of Rolpa, Thakurbaba Municipality-4 of Bardiya, and Suddhodhan Rural Municipality-1 of Kapilvastu also will have the by-election, according to the Election Commission.

Similarly, elections will also be held for ward chairpersons in Dullu Municipality-13 of Dailekh, Tilagufa Municipality-4 of Kalikot, Kushe Rural Municipality-7 of Jajarkot, Tripurasundari Municipality-5 of Dolpa, Sanibheri Rural Municipality-5 of Rukum (West), Surma Rural Municipality-4 of Bajhang, Purbichauki Rural Municipality-6 of Doti, Duhun Rural Municipality-5 of Darchula and Bhimdatta Municipality-6 of Kanchanpur.