KATHMANDU: Candidates contesting in the May 13 local elections willing to withdraw their candidature can do so by 5 pm today.

The Election Commission (EC) said those who have registered their candidacies on April 24 and 25 may withdraw their candidacies at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer and the Electoral Officer if they wish to withdraw their candidature for any reason by 5 pm today.

The EC is also preparing to publish the final list of candidates today.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba issued an appeal on Thursday urged those rebelling leaders filing independent candidacy to withdraw their candidature to support alliance candidates.

He urged the rebel candidates to withdraw candidature within the time given by the Election Commission.

Nepali Congress cadres have fielded rebel candidates in Chitwan and other places in protest of the ruling coalition’s election coordination for May 13 local elections.

Deuba demanded that the official candidate of the party be made victorious by withdrawing the rebel candidatures of the coalition at the local levels.