Kathmandu: Nepal is preparing to hold general elections on March 5 next year to elect 275 members to the House of Representatives, with 114 political parties out of 143 registered with the Election Commission (ECN) taking part. According to Anadolu Agency, ECN spokesperson Narayan Bhattarai stated that the applications of 13 parties were rejected for various reasons. "Initially, eight parties applied to contest independently but later decided to join other parties. As a result, their earlier registrations were cancelled," Bhattarai explained. Others withdrew voluntarily, submitted duplicate applications, or applied as single candidates, leading to their nullification, he added. In a political shift, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was appointed as Nepal's interim prime minister in September. This development followed widespread protests that resulted in at least 51 fatalities and hundreds of injuries, ultimately leading to the ousting of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's elected administration. Separately, a significant legal action was initiated by Nepal's anti-graft body, which filed a corruption case at the Special Court against 55 individuals, including five former ministers and 10 former secretaries, along with a company. The Kathmandu Post reported that the involved company faces allegations of irregularities in the construction of the $215.96 million China-funded international airport project in Pokhara, marking the most extensive corruption case filed at the Special Court concerning a state procurement process. The anti-corruption body is demanding 8.36 billion Nepalese rupees ($58 million) from each of the 56 defendants, representing its largest financial penalty to date. The final sentencing, however, will be determined by the court.