National
EC suggests local body polls under existing structure
The Election Commission (EC) has suggested political parties to hold the elections for local bodies under the existing structure considering the time it could take for holding the polls under the new structure.The Election Commission (EC) has suggested political parties to hold the elections for local bodies under the existing structure considering the time it could take for holding the polls under the new structure.
“Holding local elections under the new structure seems a race against time. So we have suggested the parties to go for an easier option at the moment—hold the elections under the existing structure,” said Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav.
The elections of the local bodies as envisaged by the new constitution could be held only after the Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC) submits its report with demarcation of boundaries of the proposed local units. While the LLRC has assured that it would submit the report to the government on Thursday, naming of the local units and recruitment of employees are expected to take more time.
The EC has made it clear that local level elections must be held by April 2017 to have any possibility of holding three other elections—Provincial Parliament, Federal Parliament and National Assembly.
As the new constitution has kept the option open for holding elections for Village Development Committees, District Development Committee and Municipalities, going for this option at the moment is easier, Yadav said.
According to him, holding local level elections as per the existing structure is comfortable in the context of current status of collecting and updating voters’ list, management, readiness of the political parties and resources allocation.
Article 303 of the constitution provisions maintaining the existing structure of local bodies until their numbers and areas are determined. The elections of officials at the local bodies under the existing structure shall be held in accordance with the law, according to the constitution. Although the constitution does not restrict holding the local elections under the old structure, the government and political parties remain undecided over the matter.
‘Voters’ lists update in 54 Tarai, Hill districts from Friday’
KATHMANDU: The Election Commission has said it will start updating voters’ lists in 54 Tarai and Hills district from December 16 even as the task initiated three weeks ago in 21 Mountain districts continues.
The EC initiated the move in line with the government’s target to hold the local elections the next spring. The election body had last updated the voters’ lists before the second Constituent Assembly elections in 2013.
Spokesperson for the EC Surya Prasad Sharma said that they had planned to complete the updating process by January 28, 2017 and prepare a final voters’ list by mid-February.
The commission is enlisting citizens who attain 18 years of age by mid-October. More eligible voters would be accommodated before publishing the final list. Currently, the EC has been registering the voters as per the existing local structure and updating them accordingly. “Once Local Level Restructuring Commission submits its report with the demarcation of local units—municipal and village councils—we will have to adjust the voters list accordingly,” said Sharma. (PR)