Independent candidate for mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Balen Shah has built a lead of almost 4,500 votes over Keshav Sthapit of CPN-UML.
Shah has secured 9,614 votes to lead Sthapit who has got 5,157 votes by 4,457 as per the latest update.
Sirjana Singh of Nepali Congress (NC) is third with 4,483 votes.
Shah's vote tally is almost equal to the combined tallies of Sthapit and Singh.
Counting has been completed in ward numbers 1 and 2, while it continues in 3, 4, 5, 6, 31 and 32. Shah received 783 and 1,220 votes in the two wards where counting has been completed. Sthapit secured 365 and 728, and Singh 451 and 497 in those wards respectively.
Shah has similarly received 1566, 1826, 822 and 369 votes in wards 3, 4, 5 and 6 where counting continues while he has bagged 951 votes in 31 and 2,077 in 22.