Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Election Commission (EC) has stated that 20 political parties have registered to contest the by-elections in Ilam-2 constituency of the House of Representatives on April 27.
Shaligram Sharma Paudel, the spokesperson for the EC, said 19 parties have registered for the by-election in Bajhang 1(1) seat of the Sudurpashchim province Assembly. Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which is led by Rabi Lamichhane, hasn’t registered for the provincial assembly election.
Established parties like the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and CPN (Maoist Center), among others, have registered for the by-elections in both the federal parliament and provincial assembly.
The Ilam-2 constituency of the House of Representatives became vacant with the demise of CPN-UML Vice Chairperson Subash Chandra Nembang, while the Bajhang 1(1) seat of the Sudurpaschim Province Assembly has been vacant since Prthvi Bahadur Singh passed away in a road accident on June 20 last year.
