Independent candidate for mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Balen Shah has built a lead of more than 8,500 votes over Keshav Sthapit of CPN-UML.
Shah has secured 17,643 votes to lead Sthapit, who has got 9,110 votes, by 8,533 as per the latest update.
Sirjana Singh of Nepali Congress (NC) is third with 8,167 votes.
Shah's vote tally is more than the combined tallies of Sthapit and Singh.
Shah has also led in each of the wards where counting of votes has been finished or continues. Counting has already been finished in ward numbers 1, 2, 3 and 5, and it continues in 4, 6, 7, 29, 30, 31 and 32.