Valley
10 embassies to observe polls in Valley
The Election Commission has permitted 10 diplomatic missions to observe the upcoming local level elections with their 33 observers at the polling centres in Kathmandu Valley.The Election Commission has permitted 10 diplomatic missions to observe the upcoming local level elections with their 33 observers at the polling centres in Kathmandu Valley.
According to the election authority, observers from the embassies of Australia, Thailand, Finland, Myanmar, Pakistan, Japan, France, Israel, South Korea and China have been allowed to monitor the elections.
However, the embassies of the United States and India, which usually observe the polls, are yet to seek approval, according to the EC.
While the commission has turned down requests from international monitors to observe the local elections, it decided to allow the diplomatic missions to observe the vote.
The foreign missions will be able to observe the local elections only inside Kathmandu, according to EC Spokesperson Surya Sharma.
On April 27, representatives of half a dozen diplomatic missions including those from the US, Norway and Israel had urged the EC to allow them to observe the vote, arguing that it would help enhance the credibility of elections.
As per the EC policy, the diplomatic missions are allowed to observe the process on the polling day only. The embassies cannot send local staff for observation. The policy also bars the missions from making public statements about the electoral process during and after the polls, unlike other designated election monitors. They can debrief the EC a week before and after their observations.