VietNamNet Bridge – By March 18, the deadline for submitting files to stand for the 13^th National Assembly (NA), the Hanoi Department of Home Affairs had received 31 files and HCM City 22.

At 5 pm, March 18, the Hanoi Department of Home Affairs stopped receiving applications. Only one businessman was refused because his file was submitted late.

Those who run for the People’s Council election can submit their files until March 23.

The last candidate in Hanoi is Ms. Vu Thi Thu from Kham Thien street, Dong Da district. Thu will stand for both the NA and the People’s Council elections.

Deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Home Affairs, Le Quoc Cuong, said that the department received 70 files, including 31 files of candidates who will stand independently in the NA election.

In HCM City, seven candidates submitted their files on the last day, raising the total number of independent candidates to 22.

Notably, an overseas Vietnamese who has two nationalities – Vietnamese and French – also submitted the file.

The last person to submit the application on March 18 in HCM City was Mr. Nguyen Bach Phuc, director of the Electrics - Electronics – Informatics Institute.

Chair of the HCM City Election Committee, Pham Phuong Thao, said that the number of candidates for the 13^th NA election is only 63 in total compared to 131 in the 12^th election.

T.Thien – T.Chung