The Election Commission (EC) informed the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday about its decision to print separate ballot papers for the first-past-the-post system for the provincial and federal elections scheduled for November 26 and December 7.

The poll body was responding to the apex court’s October 25 ruling in which it had asked to make arrangements for separate FPTP ballot papers and sought a report on progress made since its earlier ruling of October 18.

The EC also submitted a decision taken by the poll body on Monday regarding printing of separate ballot papers and the copy of the EC’s letter to the Janak Siksha Samagari Kendra (JSSK) asking the state-owned printing company to print ballot papers for Baitadi, Bajhang, Darchula, Bajura and Jajarkot districts in line with Monday’s decision. 

EC officials said the poll body went ahead with printing of separate ballot papers after the JSSK said it could print all the ballot papers needed for both phases of elections in 20 days. 

Election commissioners, who had reached the SC to submit the poll body’s response on Monday, also urged the court to quash a contempt of court writ filed by Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal leader Sarbendra Nath Shukla against them.

In his contempt of court writ, Shukla, who in his earlier petition on October 8 had demanded separate FPTP ballots for the two elections, had said the poll commissioners had defied the SC’s October 18 ruling.