Govt preparing to hold federal, province elections on the same day

KATHMANDU, July 28: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has urged the office-bearers of the Election Commission of Nepal (ECN) to make preparations for holding the province and federal level elections on the same day.

At a meeting between the Ministers and office-bearers of the ECN at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Thursday, PM Deuba urged the Commission to bring about reforms in the voting process so that people’s votes would not be invalid.

PM Deuba urged the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners to immediately begin the preparations for polls stating that the government was committed to holding the province assembly and federal assembly elections by January 21, 2018 as per the constitutional provision, according to the PM’s press coordinator Govinda Pariyar.

During the meeting, PM said that the Constituency Determination Commission has already started its works, and two laws relating to the elections will be endorsed within few days.

The PM also informed the office bearers of the ECN about the government’s preparations to conduct the polls of the province assembly and federal assembly in a single day to reduce the election cost.

Acting Secretary of the ECN Maheshwor Neupane said that the Commission drew attention of the government to pass the bills on elections as soon as possible.

Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Home Minister Janardan Sharma, Finance Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and chief election commissioner Dr Ayodhi Prasad Yadav, commissioners, chief secretary Rajendra Kishor Chhetri and others were also present at the meeting. RSS