As the government taskforce started consultation on Sunday with lawmakers from the Tarai region on the Local Level Reconstructing Commission’s report, the Election Commission has said implementation of the recommendations must start by February 19 for the local elections to be held by mid-May.

The EC, in a letter to the government last week, has proposed holding the local polls in two phases—May 15 and June 4. The election authority says it requires early implementation of the LLRC’s report for preparing the voter list for the new local structure and designating the election centres.

The Cabinet on February 2 formed a taskforce under Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Hitraj Pande to study grievances against the report. The panel was given two weeks to prepare its recommendations. The team has got four days left to submit its report.

“We have told the government that local body officials must be mobilised by February 19 for the local elections to be held by May 15,” said Ila Sharma, an election commissioner.

Although the EC has sought 120 days for preparations, there will be less than 90 days to the first phase of polls. The government has not announced the election date yet. In a meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli asked the government to create an environment for conducting the elections before monsoon.

Parliament is yet to pass one of the five bills required for holding the local polls. The Bill to Amend and Integrate Laws Related to Political Parties is pending in the State Affairs Committee due to the differences among the parties over a vote threshold.

The EC said it completed the voter list updating process on February 11.