The re-election in Ward No 19 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City is underway under the first phase of local level elections. The voting commenced in six voting centres of the three polling stations at 7 am today, Chief ElectionOfficial, Kavi Prasad Neupane said.

The Supreme Court on July 30, upholding the June 3 Election Commission decision to conduct re-election in the Bharatpur Metropolitan City-19, had ordered re-election, where the vote count was disrupted since May 28 after CPN (Maoist Centre) cadres allegedly torn 90 ballot papers.

CPN-UML candidate Devi Prasad Gywali and Nepali Congress-CPN-Maoist Centre candidate Renu Dahal, the daughter of former Prime Minister and Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, are vying for the mayoral seat of the metropolis.

Meanwhile, the local administration has heightened security for today’s re-election.The points of entry into the ward were sealed off from 12 midnight. Chief District Officer (CDO) Narayan Prasad Bhatta ruled out any problems as the security force able to provide security to the entire district has been concentrated at a single ward.

A total of 3,797 voters are taking part in the polls with the deployment of 36 employees along with voting officials at the centres.

The vote count of ward no-19 and 20 will take place simultaneously after the voting is over.