National
Prez ‘confident’ all elections by Jan deadline
President Bidya Devi Bhandari said on Saturday she was confident that the Election Commission and the government would be able to fulfil the constitutional obligation of holding three levels of polls by January 21, 2018.President Bidya Devi Bhandari said on Saturday she was confident that the Election Commission and the government would be able to fulfil the constitutional obligation of holding three levels of polls by January 21, 2018.
The tenure of the incumbent Parliament will expire on January 21 next year.
Addressing the first Election Day programme organised by the EC, President Bhandari said that the EC should be able to shoulder the special responsibility of holding periodic elections. “The EC should be able to conduct elections on par with international standards,” she said.
The EC had decided to mark Falgun 7 of Nepali calendar as the Election Day to commemorate the country’s first parliamentary elections that were held on this day 58 years ago.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal urge all not to doubt the government’s intentions. “The government has already written to the EC asking it to start preparations for local level elections by mid-May,” said PM Dahal. “The three vacant posts of commissioners have also been filled,” he added. “The government is serious about holding local polls based on consultation and coordination among political parties. The government will also submit the Local Level Restructuring Commission report to the EC after making it acceptable to all.”
During the meeting with EC officials on Friday, PM Dahal had assured them of taking the proposal of holding local polls to the Cabinet on Sunday. “It is necessary to hold elections to institutionalise federal democratic republic and implement the new constitution,” said PM Dahal.
Chief Election Commi-ssioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav said the EC can hold local elections in May-June and that the EC plans to mobilise 300,000 human resources to make the elections a success.