Kathmandu: Vote counting of the Constituent Assembly election held yesterday has begun in various districts from early in the morning. According to District Election Office (DEO) Kathmandu, counting of the votes of Kathmandu-4 has already begun, while counting for the other constituencies’ will also start in a short while. The delay of counting of ballots from other constituencies is attributed to the all-party-meeting to thrash out the criteria for invalid votes.
Meanwhile, large number of people has thronged to the International Convention Centre in New Baneshwor, where vote counting is scheduled to be held.
The DEO, however, informed that it may take at least 24 hours to publish the final election results of all 10 constituencies in Kathmandu.
Likewise, vote counting has begun in many constituencies across the country. Counting of ballots has started in Rautahat, Sarlahi, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur, among others.

Kathmandu: Information and Communication Minister Madhav Prasad Paudel has urged the voters to cast their votes without any fear, claiming that the government has arranged full security to the voters to reach to the polling booths and return home safely.
Speaking at a face-to-face interaction programme organised by Reporters Club Nepal today in capital, Minister Paudel informed that the government has deployed nearly two hundred thousand security personnel across the country in highly sensitive, sensitive and normal areas.
Stating that each of the votes holds a significant value, he appealed all the voters to cast their votes. “The government has not left any stone unturned to ensure security for the voters. It is not appropriate to conclude that there was insecurity based upon some sporadic cases of violence. If this election is compared to the previous election, the cases of violence are comparatively low. So, the security is better than earlier polls,” he claimed. Minister Paudel also expressed his hopes that the political parties by drawing the lessons from erstwhile CA would draft the new constitution through the upcoming CA polls.
Meanwhile, Minister Paudel said that the Election Commission has not sent any letters to the government to take action against any television.

Kathmandu: Chairman of the Interim Election Council, Khil Raj Regmi, has directed the security officials to foil the activities of the CA election boycotting.
At a review meeting of security situation held at the Office of the Prime Minister at Baluwatar this morning, Chairman Regmi directed the chiefs of security bodies to carry out works restlessly at the last hour of the CA election for creating environment for voters to vote without fear at all the polling centers across the nation.
Chairman directed the chiefs of the security bodies to direct their officials to be on standby for necessary security arrangement until the results of voting as security personnel would be deployed day and night for the security of the country and people.

Kathmandu: Election Commission has completed all preparations for the CA polls slated for tomorrow. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Neel Kantha Uprety is holding a special press conference today to inform the media about the completion of all election related preparations. Election Commission (EC) has said that ballot boxes and papers for first-post-the-pasta and proportional representation system have already reached all 18,438 polling centers, while the distribution of the voter ID cards to the registered voters is also going to be wrapped up today.
“EC has finished all the preparation for the polls,” CEC Uprety said. Claiming that the strong security measurements have been placed in the polling booths, Uprety urged voters to obtain the ID cards and cast their vote without a hitch.
The EC has also urged the media outlets to play a balanced and fair role during the CA polls.  Likewise, EC has appealed one and all to cast their votes stating that the Constituent Assembly election was more important than other periodic elections.

Kathmandu: Chairman Regmi has warned that those inflicting violence under the pretext of poll boycott would not be let off the hook. Addressing the nation this evening, Chairman Regmi said that those violent activities during the protest targeting the general public despite commitments to make it peaceful were inhumane and unpardonable.
Deploring the violent activities in the run up to the polls as inhumane, barbaric and anti-people, he vowed to take stern action against those involved in those activities.
“These deeds to torment the people in the name of people are deplorable,” said Regmi.
Stating that the violent activities of the parties in the democratic country cannot be of political nature, he opined that only those parties which move ahead following people’s aspiration will have their political future.
Chairman Regmi also expressed his sympathy and condolences to the injured and death during the course of boycott protest by the poll opposing parties.  Claiming that he made several sincere efforts to bring all forces on board the election of Constituent Assembly, he rued the refusal of the 33-party alliance to join the election process.
Noting that the CA will usher the country in the transformation process by ending the transitional period, he argued that the polls were necessary to give an outlet to the country.
Regmi said he was excited by the people’s defiance of banda imposed by the poll-opposign parties thereby making the public life smooth, he appealed one and all to cast their votes during the CA polls without any fear and hesitation.

Kathmandu: CPN-Maoist chairman Mohan Baidya has accused that branding them as ‘terrorist’ were intended to defame their ‘peaceful protest’ by the foreign and national regressive forces. He has also claimed that anti-national and anti-people forces were conducting the violent activities to suppress them and slander his party.
Releasing a press statement today, Biadya claimed, “Some untoward incidents occurred in the banda period when the state tried to facilitate the defiance of the banda by misusing the state resources.” Baidya has also lamented the incidents occurred during the course of the banda programme. Likewise, he has also urged the protestors to remain alert and careful about all sorts of ‘conspiracies’.  He has reaffirmed his commitment to make the banda successful until 5 PM of November 5, the polling day, in peaceful, strong and effective ways.
However, Baidya, in his statement, has said that there was no alternative of dialogues and consensus among the parties. He has urged the government, political parties and civil society to take positive initiative towards forging new national consensus.

Kathmandu: Interim Election Council Chairman Khil Raj Regmi is addressing the nation in a while. Chairman Regmi is addressing the nation today on the eve of CA polls. He is going to appeal the peoples as well as the poll opposing parties to participate in the CA polls through his address.  According to Rajendra Prashad Pandey, press coordinator of Chairman Regmi, the executive head will urge the poll-opposing 33-party alliance to cooperate the government for holding the CA polls.
According to Pandey, Chairman Regmi’s address will be delivered from the prime minister’s office in Singha Durbar and will be broadcast live on Nepal Television at 6 PM.
Likewise, Chairman Regmi is also scheduled to hold discussion with his ministers today.

Kathmandu: Raj Kumar Deuja, who was injured in the petrol bomb attack, has succumbed today while undergoing treatment.
Truck driver Deuja had sustained injury when a group of unidentified persons hurled a petrol bomb at a moving truck (Na 3 Kha 5697) last Thursday in Dudhaura River at Pathlaiya- Nijgadh road stretch.
He breathed his last at Kathmandu-based Teaching Hospital. He was brought to Teaching Hospital today morning from Narayani Sub-regional hospital.
Meanwhile, the government has announced to provide compensation to the deceased family.

Kathmandu: Former US President Jimmy Carter arrived in the capital this morning to observe the CA polls of Nepal. Carter, chair of the Carter Center, and former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai will co-lead the Center’s delegation to observe Nepal’s Nov. 19 constituent assembly election.
According to the Carter Center, more than 50 international obsevers from 27 countries will observe the CA polls of Nepal.
Carter is scheduled to meet Interim Election Council Chairman Khilaraj Regmi, top leader of the major political parties, civil society leaders, Election Commissioners along with the representatives of other international organizations during his stay in Nepal.
He will observe the CA polls on the polling day as well as the vote counting process. Carter Center is observing the CA polls following the written request of the government.
The Center had also observed the CA polls of 2008 including the political and constitution drafting process in Nepal for a long period of time.

Siraha: Chairman of the CPN (UML) Jhala Nath Khanal was ready to reconsider the seven-province model of federalism with multiple identities floated by his party.
At a press meet in Siraha on Friday, Khanal said that federalism based on language, geography and ethnicity was not possible.
He said, “See the size of party in the election. The UML is ready to begin fresh debate on federalism.”