KATHMANDU, MAY 3: With nobody filing nominations for Dalit woman members at 170 wards of the country including few at Kathmandu Valley they would remain vacant for the next five years.
According to Surya Aryal, assistant spokesperson of the Election Commission of the 6,743 wards of 753 local levels nominations for the Dalit woman members at 170 were not filed.
During the previous local level polls held in 2017, the positions of Dalit woman members were vacant in 176 wards of the country.
“Nominations of Dalit woman members improved this time with nominations filed at six more wards compared to previous polls during which 176 wards were vacant,” said Aryal during the regular media briefing.
He said at some places Dalit woman members were elected unanimously because only one candidate had filed the nomination.
According to Dalit rights activists, the real mindset of Nepali political parties and their leaders has become clear with no nominations of Dalit-woman members at 170 wards. “They all knew there were 176 wards vacant for Dalit woman members but they didn’t bother to file nominations even at the Kathmandu Valley this time,” said Dalit rights activist Kamala Bishwokarma, who is also the chairperson of Jagaran Media Centre.
