KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has refused to register a writ petition seeking to postpone local elections set for May 13.

Mayor of Bhangaha Municipality of Mahottari Sanjeev Kumar Sah took the writ petition to the court on Wednesday, saying that local level representatives of Madhes Province would not be able to complete their five-year term if the polls were held on May 13.

The local level elections was held in three phases last time and the same had taken place on September 18, 2017, in Madesh Province.

Registrar of the Supreme Court Narayan Prasad Panthi, issuing an order, reasoned the writ was not valid though the election was held on different dates as per the Local Level Election Act and that the first phase of polls would be considered legitimate for reference.

The term of Madhes local level representatives would expire on September 21, 2022, if the actual date of polls in the province is to be considered for reference.

With today’s apex court move, it is confirmed that local level elections would take place on set date i.e. May 13, in a single phase across all local levels in the country.

Likewise, Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) today called for holding local level elections in Madhes Province in September, citing elected officials not completing their full five-year term.

The Election Commission, however, has said the term of all elected officials at local levels would complete on May 19.