A clash broke out during the vote counting for the selection of representatives from Tanahun Constituency-1 for the CPN-UML General Convention. The ballot box was also reportedly made to disappear amidst the chaos.
The dispute began on allegations of irregularities during both voting and counting, turning violent around midnight on Saturday. During the altercation, the ballot box itself went missing.
While Constituency-2 selected its representatives unanimously, voting was held in Constituency-1, which includes 12 wards from Bhanu Municipality, Aanbukhaireni, Devghat, Bandipur Rural Municipality, and Byas Municipality.
The situation escalated during the counting of votes from Bandipur Rural Municipality. According to local leaders, the problem began when, out of 100 counted votes, Ghanshyam Dewan received a full 100 votes, while Phulmoti Thapa secured 99. Questions arose over how one candidate could receive 100% of the votes, with accusations that votes were cast in the name of deceased individuals.
Dewan is considered close to former UML MP Kisan Shrestha, who recently returned to the UML from the Unified Socialist party. Opponents accused Dewan’s group of manipulating the process with Shrestha’s backing.
Similar concerns were raised regarding vote patterns from Bhanu, Aanbukhaireni, and Devghat. District party president Hari Kandel and district in-charge Kedar Sigdel also expressed doubts about the results.
As tensions rose, the counting was halted. Before the counting resumed, questions were raised about the number of votes falling short from Bandipur. When candidates from Bandipur were not present during counting, suspicion grew further.
After counting the first 100 votes—where Dewan received all 100—the dispute intensified. Chief Election Officer Shiva Dutta Dhakal then issued a notice around midnight, suspending the counting process until further notice.
About the Author
