The Election Commission (EC) has urged the political parties contesting the May 14 local level elections to ensure women's candidacy in all posts.

"I in person request all political parties and their leaders to ensure women candidacy in all posts as far as possible," said Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav.

All people want the women to lead the rural municipality and municipality, said Yadav while speaking at a programme on the topic of 'strengthening women's leadership and representation' organised by the Commission with the financial aid from the United Nations Development Programme on Thursday.

He also informed that the EC has prioritised deploying as many as women government employees for the polls.

"The printing of ballot papers for all districts where the polls will take place will be completed today. Printing voter's lists and identity cards has been completed. All election-related materials have been transported to respective districts," he said.

The new constitution has made it compulsory to ensure 40 percent women representation in the local level polls—an increment from 33 percent in the erstwhile two Constituent Assembly elections. Likewise, a provision says that a woman should take up the post of chief and deputy chief at local bodies. RSS