The main opposition party, CPN-UML, has suggested forming a parliamentary committee to probe into the incidents of violence that were reported during the first phase of local level elections that were held in provinces 3, 4 and 6 on Sunday.

The party’s standing committee meeting on Wednesday decided to take the initiative to constitute a parliamentary panel to look into the election-related violence in Dolakha, Sindhupalchok, Dhading, Kavre, Rasuwa, Humla, Rukum, Nuwakot, Makwanpur and Ramechhap. 

The meeting also decided to request the Election Commission (EC) to take stringent action against election code violators in the run up to the second phase elections scheduled to take place on June 14.

Another crucial decision of the UML in view of the second phase elections is drawing attention of the government and the EC to conduct the polls under the current administrative structure, without making any changes to the borders and numbers of local units.   

The standing committee meeting decided that the UML will not entertain even a slightest change in local units ahead of the June 14 polls in provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7.

About the constitution amendment proposal, tabled by the government in a bid to ensure the participation of the disgruntled forces in the three-tier elections and in constitution implementation, the UML decided to advise the concerned parties to focus on the elections. 

With a successful conduct of the first phase of local elections and the second round less than a month away, the UML is of the view that the issue of constitution amendment is “insignificant” and that the government and other concerned parties should be focused on staging the three-tier elections on time. 

The UML standing committee meeting also welcomed the recent signing of the framework for the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative between the governments of Nepal and China. The consensus within the UML is that the Chinese initiative will boost Nepal’s economy by widening the country’s international market access.   

The UML also demanded the concerned parties to withdraw the impeachment motion filed against Chief Justice Sushila Karki.