The elected representatives of CPN-UML in Bharatpur Metropolitan City have boycotted the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday.

No elected representatives from the main opposition party were present during today’s ceremony.

“We will not take part in the swearing-in ceremony with the ones who tore the ballot papers as it will be a mockery of democracy,” said UML Chitwan district Chairman Krishna Bhakta Pokharel, “We will take the oath of office and secrecy separately tomorrow.”

The swearing-in ceremony took place at the conference hall of the Chitwan District Coordination Council today.

CPN (Maoist Centre)’s Renu Dahal defeated CPN-UML’s Devi Gyawali by 203  votes to become the mayor of Bharatpur Metropolitan City. The metropolis got its mayor almost two and a half months after the elections.

Elections in Bharatpur Metropolitan City were held on May 14, but the fracas on the night of May 28, in which Maoist Centre representatives had allegedly torn 90 ballot papers, had led to the halt of vote counting. Counting of votes of Ward 19 was underway at that time and the UML’s Gyawali was leading Dahal by around 700 votes.

Following the incident, the Election Commission on June 3 had decided to conduct re-election in Ward 19.

The decision was upheld by the Supreme Court on July 31, and re-election in the concerned ward was held on Friday.