KATHMANDU,  Aug 1: The Election Commission on Thursday held consultations with the political parties about the possibilities of holding by-election at local, provincial and federal levels.

The  EC, based on the suggestion of the political parties will recommend a date for holding the by-election in a couple of days, said Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Thapaliya. Representatives of 18 political parties had attended the meeting held at Election Commission on Thursday.

The government based on the EC’s recommendation and formal preparation will announce the date for elections.

The by-elections are being held to fill the 50 vacant positions at various levels including one seat in House of Representatives and three in Provincial Assembly. Three rural municipalities are without chief and one without deputy chief. Also, 41 positions are vacant at ward levels, according to Election Commission.

SUGGESTS 29 RECOMMENDATION FOR CONSIDERATION

KATHMANDU, March 21: The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) for Nepal’s House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly elections Tuesday submitted its final report containing 29 proposals for reform to improve the electoral process.

The EU EOM, organizing a press conference in Kathmandu, stated that although the Election Commission of Nepal (ECN) performed its duties impartially, enjoying public confidence, its work lacked transparency.

“There was, for example, no mechanism for regular consultations with election stakeholders, and the EC failed to publish critical information on polling center turnout and invalid votes. There were also procedural weaknesses, particularly in relation to the reconciliation of ballots. Voter education was also inadequate, in some areas non-existent. The EC had extensive powers to punish violations of the Election Code of Conduct, including by fines and disqualification, yet it dealt with complaints in a largely informal manner, requesting that those in violation stop the behavior complained of. This lack of enforcement undermined the integrity of the Code. Allegations that both cash and in-kind gifts were given to voters circulated widely, but not a single prosecution for vote-buying was initiated,” the report stated.

According to the EU EOM, overall, the November 26 and December 7 elections represented a key milestone in the implementation of the 2015 Constitution, with the legal framework providing a good basis for the conduct of elections. However, a great deal of the body of electoral law was enacted less than three months before the elections, which meant that there was insufficient time for dissemination or appraisal.

The report further says: Political freedoms – including the right to vote and to stand for election, and freedoms of association, assembly and expression – are well-respected in law and, despite a series of violent attacks against candidates, these political freedoms prevailed during the campaign.

“The quota system, in an effort to promote gender and social inclusion, also includes groups that are already well-represented. This is arguably in contravention of international standards on equality, as affirmative action measures are foreseen only as a means to promote equality.”

“Positively, a voter registration drive resulted in 1.37 million new registrants, the candidate nomination process was well-conducted, and the media environment during the campaign period was generally free, although a few cases of limitations on freedom of expression and the freedom of the press were observed.”

The report has made 29 recommendations for consideration, but suggests priority attention is given to the following 10 recommendations:

Review the impact of the quota system on the ethnic composition of the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies and ensure that measures of affirmative action apply only to groups that are the subject of negative discrimination.

Enhance the transparency of the ECN by regular consultations with stakeholders, and the timely publication of all information of public interest.

Launch extensive voter education sufficiently in advance of elections, in all languages used in Nepal.

Review first-past-the-post constituency boundaries to ensure more equal suffrage.

Relax voter registration transfer requirements so people living in rented accommodation and informal settlements can transfer their voter registration.

Enforce the law in order to stop vote-buying.

Produce a less restrictive Code of Conduct, including provisions for the allocation of free airtime to political parties/candidates in the public media.

Introduce administrative procedures to accord priority to election-related cases filed with the Supreme Court.

Enhance the transparency of the results process by the swift publication of polling centre turnout data and constituency counting tables, as well as by distribution of copies of the constituency counting tables to party and candidate agents.

Introduce meaningful reconciliation procedures in polling and counting directives. 

The EU EOM was present in Nepal between 25 October 2017 and 3 January 2018, following invitations from the Government of Nepal and the ECN. In total, the mission deployed over 100 observers from all 28 EU member states, as well as Norway and Switzerland. It assessed the extent to which the electoral process complied with international and regional commitments for elections, as well as with the laws of Nepal.

KATHMANDU, March 1: The Election Commission has established an office of the Election Officer for the election of the President scheduled to be held on March 13.

EC Spokesperson Nabaraj Dhakal said that the EC on Thursday established the office of the Election Officer at the premises of Federal Parliament building, New Baneshwor.

The EC as per the new constitution has already determined Judge of the Patan High-Court to hold the election of the President and has already announced the election schedule. RSS

KATHMANDU, Feb 15: The political parties represented in the parliament have forged consensus to hold the election to the post of the President on March 5.

CPN-UML leader Rajendra Pandey said that agreement to conduct the polls for the election to the President on March 5 was reached at a meeting organized by the Election Commission (EC).

Likewise, the EC said that detail discussions were held with the representatives of political parties regarding the date announcement for the elections to the President and Vice President, preparations to the polls, forming a mechanism for political dialogues.

EC spokesperson Nabaraj Dhakal said that the EC would announce the date for the election to hold polls after holding discussions with the stakeholders.

In today’s meeting, the leaders of the political parties seconded the EC’s proposal for the elections to the President and Vice President.

Dhakal said that an electoral college comprising members of the House of Representative and Province Assemblies would be eligible for the election to the President and the weightage of Members of the House of Representative would be 79 while Province Assemblies members shall carry 48.

As per the constitutional provision, the President and the Vice President shall be of different sex or community. RSS

KATHMANDU, Feb 15: The Election Commission (EC) has asked National Assembly election candidates to submit details of poll expenditures soon.

NA election candidates can, according to the legal provision, spend up to Rs 350,000 during the polls, and are required to furnish poll expenditure details to the EC or the office dictated by itself, within 30 days of the announcement of poll results.

The EC has identified the election office in a district where the polling centre was established and the EC itself where the candidates can submit the expenditure details.

The NA polls held on February 7, and the results were announced on February 11. The total 81 candidates from nine political parties had run for the polls. RSS

KATHMANDU, Feb 11: The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday submitted the results of the National Assembly (NA) elections to President Bidya Devi Bhandari at latter’s office in Sheetal Niwas.

Chief Election Commissioner Dr Ayodhee Prasad Yadav submitted the election report that includes names of the elected candidates, and the political parties they represent. EC’s Spokesperson Nawaraj Dhakal said that the reports were submitted to the President in line with the National Assembly Election Ordinance, 2074. The NA elections were held on February 7.

On the occasion, President Bhandari thanked the EC for successfully conducting the elections to the local levels, the House of Representatives and State Assemblies and the NA.

Dr Yadav also apprised President of holding the elections on the guidelines set by the President.

Of the total 59 members, 56 will be elected, according to the Article 86 of the Constitution of Nepal while three will be appointed on the recommendation of the government.

Likewise, the EC has been urged to submit the results of the House of Representatives and Province Assemblies elections held on November 26 and December 7 to the President by February 17. RSS

KATHMANDU, Feb 6: Preparation for the National Assembly election has been completed, said the Election Commission (EC). The NA election is scheduled for February 7.

The voting will start from 10:00 am to con clued at 3:00 pm at the respective province capitals, informed Chief Election Commissioner Dr Ayodhee Prasad Yadav at a press meet in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

According to the Election Commission, voting will take place at the Office of the Chief Returning Officer in six provinces. The office of the chief returning officer has been established at the places where the High Court of each province is located.

The polling stations have been set up at the public places near to the Office of the Chief Returning Officer in Biratnagar (Province 1), Patan, Lalitpur (Province 3), Pokhara (Province 4), Dang (Province 5), Surkhet (Province 6) and Doti (Province 7).

A total of 2056 voters will including 550 province assembly members and 1506 chiefs and deputy chiefs from local levels will cast vote to elect 56 members. However, 24 members have already been elected unopposed.

All candidate of National Assembly election have already been elected unanimously in province no 2.

According to the EC, out of 56 members to be elected for NA, 24 candidates have already been elected.
Six candidates including three women have already been elected unanimously in province no 1. Election is taking place there for two posts.

Similarly, there will be voting for all eight posts in province no 3 while election is taking place for seven posts in province no 4. A candidate towards Disabled and Marginalized category has already been elected unopposed, said EC Spokesperson, Nabaraj Dhakal.

Likewise, voting is taking place for remaining five posts in province no 5 as three women have been unanimously elected while there will be election for all posts in province no 6.

According to EC, election is taking place only for two posts towards Dalit and Marginalized category in province no 7 as other members have already been elected. Now 52 candidates are in the race for 32 posts, according to EC.

As per the constitution, 56 members at the rate of eight members including three women, one dalit and one member from the backward area or minority community from each province, would be elected to the 59-member National Assembly while the President will nominate three members at the recommendation of the government.

According to Yadav, the Province Assembly members will cast their votes at a separate booth while the local level officials at the next booth. There will be four separate ballot papers of green and red colours. The weightage of the Province Assembly members’ vote will be 48 while the same of the local level officials would be 18.

A five-member team from the Bureau of Statistics at the rate of three experts and two administrative assistants for each province have been deputed for counting the votes under the single-transferable electoral system, Aryal said.

The Election Commission has already given orientation training to the representatives of political parties who will be representing in the vote counting.

Election Commission Information Officer Aryal said that the commission planned to make public the entire election results by tomorrow if possible and by February 8 at the most. The Joint Secretaries have been deputed to all the provinces for monitoring the election.

The EC also said that it is preparing to submit the all results of House of Representatives election by February 17.

KATHMANDU, Jan 29: The Election Commission has notified the political parties to submit the details of their election expenses within February 12.

The EC has also urged the political parties to make the details of their election expenditure public within a month of having submitted their audit reports to it.

The Act Related to Political Parties states that the political parties should get their income expenditure audited within six months of the termination of the fiscal year and present the auditing report to the Election Commission within a month of that.

Meanwhile, the Commission has directed the political parties contesting the election to the member of the Province Assembly under the proportional representation system to submit the details of their election expenses to it within 35 days of the publication of the election results. RSS

KATHMANDU, Jan 21: The Election Commission has so far received income and expenditure details from 107 political parties so far.

The financial disclosure for the current fiscal year has been received from 107 political parties, according to section officer at the EC Ghamchandra Timalsena. Those submitting their financial details include the major political parties, NC, CPN-UML, CPN-MC, RPP, RJPN and Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and others.

As per political party registration act, 2074, the political parties registered at the EC are required to submit their financial details within six months of the beginning of the financial year. A total of 137 political parties have been registered at the EC, with the number now coming down to 125 after unification among various parties.

Political parties failing to meet the requirement of submitting their income and expenditure details are liable to a fine of Rs. 10,000. The deadline for this year ends on February 12.

KATHMANDU, Jan 17: The Election Commission (EC) today has announced the result of members of provincial parliament under the proportional system.

According to EC spokesperson Navraj Dhakal, the commission announced the name list of the winners after it checked the consistency of the procedures and the closed name lists submitted to the EC by the political parties.

The EC meeting chaired by chief election commissioner Dr Ayodhee Prasad Yadav on Wednesday finalized the names of province parliament members under the proportional system.

Total 220 provincial parliament members are selected under the system in the seven provinces.
The EC has decided to publish the names in the Nepal Gazette, send the names to the governors (chiefs) of the respective provinces and inform the winners and their respective parties.

The EC has made preparations to provide the certificate to the winners at 1:00 pm on January 19 at the EC central office in the capital. RSS