JHAPA: Balendra Shah (Balen), candidate of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has taken an early lead in the ongoing vote counting in Jhapa Constituency Number 5.

According to preliminary results, Shah has secured 5,254 votes so far. CPN (UML) candidate K.P. Sharma Oli is in second place with 1,248 votes.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress candidate Mandhara Chimariya has received 185 votes, placing third. Nepali Communist Party candidate Ranjit Tamang follows with 129 votes.

Bidur Kumar Karki, the Election Officer of Jhapa-5, said the counting process is still underway, and additional results will be released gradually on Friday.