Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Ayodhee Prasad Yadav has said that the Election Commission (EC) is alert not to repeat the “Bharatpur fiasco” in the upcoming federal and provincial parliamentary election being held on November 26 and December 7.

Speaking with journalists from Kantipur Publication at Thapathali, Kathmandu on Wednesday, CEC Yadav expressed his confidence that the upcoming polls will be held in free, fair and peaceful manner.

CEC Yadav further said that the recently held local level elections were held in a peaceful manner except in Bharatpur Metropolitan City and it should be forgotten as it was an exceptional case. “Except Bharatpur elections in all 744 local units were held in peaceful manner so it should be forgotten,” said CEC Yadav, “Let us talk about how we should conduct the upcoming elections.” He further urged all voters to vote without any fear.

Re-polling had to be done in Bharatpur-19 after CPN (MC) cadres allegedly tore the ballot papers during vote count.

Likewise, CEC Yadav informed that the vote counting of the both phases of federal and provincial parliamentary election, as per the agreement with various political parties, will begin soon after the second phase of elections adding that the results of the first-past-the-post category for both elections will be out within a week.

On a query regarding the security of ballot, CEC Yadav said “The ballot boxes will be collected from various election centres, taken to their designated places and will be sealed in the presence of Nepal Army, Police, Chief Election Officer and representatives of various political parties.”

Similarly, CEC Yadav said that security personnel and political parties’ representatives will have to spend one and a half weeks time to guard the ballot boxes.

The EC Chief said that the vote counting of both FPTP and proportional category will end by December 30.