17 May, Kathmandu: Vote counting for the Kathmandu Metropolis has been expanded to 11 groups to expedite the tardy count, giving a huge relief to the voters curious to know the mayoral results.

After the Chief Election Commissioner Dr Ayodhi Prasad Yadav inspected the vote count site and directed for arranging the count in 11 groups, the count is being expedited, informed chief returning officer, Dipendra Adhikari.

The count in the new way began from 6:00 pm, he said, adding that currently the ballot papers from Ward No 2 to 4 and from Ward No 25 to 32 are placed in 11 sites. So far, the result of Ward No 1 votes is made public in the Kathmandu Metropolis.

The updated report puts the numbers of votes gained by UML mayoral candidate, Bidya Sundar Shakya, at 1,779, while of NC mayoral candidate, Raju Raj Joshi at 1,140.

However, NC’s deputy mayoral candidate Hari Prava Khadgi is taking a lead. RSS