KATHMANDU: Voting for the new leadership at the 11th General Convention of CPN-UML is progressing slowly, making it unlikely to conclude by Thursday noon.
In the past eight hours, only 802 votes have been cast out of 2,263 eligible voters. With colder nighttime temperatures expected to slow voting further, the overall process could face additional delays.
At Bhrikuti Mandap in Kathmandu, 80 electronic voting machines are in use. The Election Commission said voting remains slow due to voters’ unfamiliarity with the machines and some technical issues.
Election Commission Vice-Chairperson Sanuraja Pokharel said that voting, which began at 9:12 am, had recorded just 802 votes by 5:02 pm. “While an average voter is expected to take 30–35 minutes, some have taken up to two hours and 12 minutes,” he explained.
Voters are struggling to choose candidates from two panels, led by KP Sharma Oli and Ishwar Pokharel. Tokens have been distributed, and all delegates must enter by 8 pm, Pokharel added.
Election officials and technical teams are assisting voters unfamiliar with the technology, and medical support is available for those who fall ill. Staff are also helping delegates who are unable to cast votes on their own.
According to UML’s publicity chief Rajendra Gautam, 2,263 delegates are eligible to vote for 622 candidates, including 301 central committee members. He said, “Voting is progressing patiently, and party cadres remain enthusiastic.”
Although election officials initially expected the process to be completed overnight, that possibility has now diminished.
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