Kathmandu, Dec. 31 -- Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol is most likely to take charge as acting mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, as Mayor Balendra Shah is set to resign to contest the upcoming parliamentary election scheduled for March 5.

Mayor Shah must resign by January 19 to file his candidacy for a parliamentary seat.

"As per the election law, a by-election must be held if the post of an elected representative becomes vacant and at least one year of tenure remains," said Dhurba Kumar Kafle, an official at the city office. "The incumbent mayor still has around 15 months of tenure left."

However, officials say the government is unlikely to move quickly enough to meet that legal threshold, as preparations for the March parliamentary ele...