KATHMANDU:Polling started on Sunday morning in Nepal for the election of 41 local representatives in all seven provinces.
The Election Commission is holding by-elections for posts vacated over deaths or resignations of local representatives.
"The votes have commenced peacefully in all the election centres, " Commission spokesperson Nita Pokharel Aryal told Xinhua news agency.
Voters can cast their ballots from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time during the day.
As many as 376 candidates from 20 political parties and independents are in the race. A total of 226, 799 voters will elect one mayor and one deputy mayor, as well as two chairpersons and four vice-chairpersons for rural municipalities, in addition to 33 ward chairpersons.
Though the by-polls were planned for 44 vacant positions, three representatives had been elected unopposed, said Aryal.