Eight women candidates elected to HoR

Among 225 women candidates who contested the House of Representatives election under direct voting, only eight have managed to win the HoR seat. Juli Kumari Mahato from CPN-UML has been elected from Dhanusha -3 constituency while Jwala Kumari Shah and Bidya Bhattarai from the same party have been elected from Bara – 3 and Kaski – 2 constituencies. Similarly, Rekha Sharma from CPN-Maoist and Ranjita Shrestha from Nagarik Unmukti Party have been elected from Dang – 2 and Kailali -1 constituencies. Likewise, Toshima Karki and Sobita Gautam from Rastriya Swotantra Party have been elected from Lalitpur- 3 and Kathmandu -2 respectiely.

Similarly, Sita Gurung from Nepali Congress has been elected from Terhathum – 1 constituency. The political parties this time fielded very few women candidates under direct voting system and among them very few succeeded in getting elected. Prominent women candidates, who lost the election include Minister for Energy and CPN-Maoist Centre leader Pampha Bhushal, another CPN-MC leader and former Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar, and CPN-Unified Socialist leader Ramkumari Jhakri. Pampha lost the election to Toshima Karki of RSP in Lalitpur – 3 and Gharti Magar lost election to RSP candidate Sobita in Kathandu -2 while Jhakri lost lection to CPN -UML’s Gokarna Bishta in Gulmi -2. There were altogether 2,412 candidates contesting the HoR election under direct method and among them 2,187 were men and 225 were women candidates.