National
All-party meet: Parties discuss local polls in single phase
Parties representing in the Parliament discussed holding the local level polls in a single phase during the all-party meeting held at Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's residence in Baluwatar on Friday.Tika R Pradhan
Parties representing in the Parliament discussed holding the local level polls in a single phase during the all-party meeting held at Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's residence in Baluwatar on Friday.
During the meeting held this afternoon, PM Dahal had asked the party leaders about the ways to protect the ballot boxes of the first phase of polls.
He had sought the suggestions from the parties on counting the votes of the first phase local polls to be held on May 14 and also about the fate of budget for which there is a constitution provision to bring on May 29.
The opposition CPN-UML leader and Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav had urged the government to hold the local level elections in a single phase.
UML Chief Whip Bhanubhakta Dhakal said that his party has been stressing on the need to hold the local polls in a single phase.
He said that even if the government was to hold the polls in two phases the gap should not be long and the budget should not be brought in between the polls.
He claimed that many of the leaders speaking at the meeting were for holding the local polls in a single phase.
Concluding the meeting, PM Dahal clarified the parties that the government would try to make the amendment proposal — a document of national consensus till the last moment.
However, if the government's attempt fails the proposal will be moved ahead for parliamentary process.
After listening to all the leaders of different parties, PM Dahal said that the government would request the Election Commission to count the votes of both the first and second phases of local polls together only after the completion of second phase of polls on June 14.
He said that necessary steps would be taken to bring in the budget after the completion of local polls.
According to Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party leader Prem Suwal, the opposition party leaders have clarified that there won't be any hassle if the government holds the local polls on May 14 in a single phase.
He also said they have told the PM that the constitution was not the document to be amended time to time as it was promulgated with 90 per cent of the CA members.