National
Poll bills to be tabled tomorrow
With the Constituency Delimitation Commission (CDC)’s report already in hands, the Election Commission (EC) now is pressing the government to bring election laws at the earliest so as to help it expedite preparations for the federal and provincial polls scheduled for November 26 and December 7.With the Constituency Delimitation Commission (CDC)’s report already in hands, the Election Commission (EC) now is pressing the government to bring election laws at the earliest so as to help it expedite preparations for the federal and provincial polls scheduled for November 26 and December 7.
The Bill on Election of House of Representatives and the Bill on Election of Provincial Assembly have been stuck at the State Affairs Committee (SAC) of Parliament for months with more than 300 proposals filed by cross-party lawmakers seeking amendments to various provisions.
SAC is learnt to have been preparing to table the bills in Parliament on Monday without addressing the proposals.
One of the proposals, filed by some Nepali Congress lawmakers, seeks to amend Section 13(e) which bars individuals/ leaders convicted of serious crimes including corruption from contest in the elections.
Arguing that there should not be a life-time ban on people who have already served their jail terms after being convicted by courts, NC lawmakers Radheshyam Adhikari, Taraman Gurung, Buddhi Ram Bhandari and Tapta Bahadur Bista among others have sought to amend the provision, for which the NC has met with severe criticism from different quarters.