National
UK for allowing int’l observers for June 14 polls
Welcoming the first phase of local elections which took place on Sunday, the British Embassy in Kathmandu has called for allowing international observers during the second phase of polls.Welcoming the first phase of local elections which took place on Sunday, the British Embassy in Kathmandu has called for allowing international observers during the second phase of polls.
People in 34 districts of three provinces—3, 4 and 6—voted on Sunday to elect local representatives.
The Election Commission has not invited any international observers for the local elections, first in 20 years.
“We welcome the commencement of local elections in Nepal, with voting in three of the seven provinces on May 14,” the British Embassy in Kathmandu said in a statement. “We encourage unrestricted international election observation to be authorised for the next phase of the polls to enable the international community, including accredited diplomats, to observe and offer support to the outcomes of the election,” the embassy added, stopping short of making any comment on the process. “We are not commenting on the process at this stage,” the statement read.
Stating that it remains committed to working with all stakeholders for an inclusive, peaceful and broadly-supported election process, the embassy said: “We urge progress from all stakeholders to work to create the necessary conditions to ensure that the people of the remaining four provinces are also given the opportunity to exercise their democratic right to directly elect local representatives on June 14.”
“We urge any protests to be undertaken peacefully and that the security forces act with restraint. We regret the loss of life in relation to the electoral process over
the past week,” the embassy said.