KATHMANDU, Aug 17: The top three parties and the Election Commission have agreed to conduct the election of House of Representatives and Province Assembly in a single go. The date is likely to be fixed for November 20 and December 7 this year, sources said.

The election body and the top three parties agreed to conduct elections at a meeting held in Baluwatar on Thursday evening.

“The government will likely announce the date of the election within two days,” said Chief Election Commissioner Dr Ayodhee Prasad Yadav to media persons after the meeting.

CPN (Maoist Center) leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha said the government would take a decision after holding further discussion on Friday. “Our emphasis is still on a single date, and a decision will be taken following further consultation with the Commission,” he said.

It has been understood that the government is preparing to hold elections in 31 districts of hills and mountains on November 20, while, rest of the elections will be held on either December 7 this year, as printing of the ballot papers in a single go for all districts was not possible.

On the occasion, the EC officer-bearers asked to pass from the meeting of the council of ministers within the next few days if the dates were appropriate and pass the bill on elections within August 21 as well as provide the report of the election constituency determination commission by August 31.

Meanwhile, CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli after the meeting shared that his party will not obstruct in the process of constitution amendment in the parliament. However, he reiterated that UML will fail the bill tabled in the parliament yesterday.

KATHMANDU, Aug 8: The government and the Election commission (EC) have started discussion on the possibilities of conducting the elections of the House of Representatives and Province Assembly in a single go. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, last month, had proposed the EC to hold both elections in a single stage saying that the constitutional deadline concluding all the elections was fast approaching. Election experts have also seconded the idea as holding both elections on the same day would considerably reduce election cost. Meanwhile, the EC, saying that there are constitutional and logistics challenges, have argued that it would be difficult to hold two polls together.

Here is an excerpt of the interview between Chief Election Commissioner Dr Ayodhee Prasad Yadav and senior journalist Rishi Dhamala.

What discussion took place between the EC and the Prime Minister regarding the conduction of Province and Federal election?

We have requested PM Deuba to immediately announce the date for the election House of Representatives. PM has also assured us that he would not make any delays in fixing date.

Has the EC urged the PM to fix the date within 10 days?

Yes, we have. We have told the PM that announcing the date would ease election process.

What will happen if the government delays the announcement of poll date?

Like I said, fixing date would help minimizing the difficulties regarding the election process. I hope the PM will announce date without any delay.

Laws related to election are yet to be finalized yet. In such condition, how, only fixing date of polls will minimize difficulties?

The bills related to the election of the House of Representatives and the province assembly is under clause-wise discussion in the State Affairs Committee. The Committee will see deliberations and reach to a conclusion very soon. Likewise, the Constituency Delimitation Commission is also working on the determination of the number of constituencies. The EC will do from its side if date is announced.

What does the EC need instantly?

Laws related to election, date and understanding among the political parties.

The government is exploring the possibilities of conducting both elections in a single go. What is the EC’s view on this?

It can be impossible. But neither the government nor other authorities have told the EC that both elections are being held together.

What about the political discussion on holding both elections together to complete all elections in given time frame (January 21, 2018)?

I have also argued that the government should meet the conditions forwarded by the EC if both elections are to be held in a single stage.

Is it possible?

Yes, it is possible. It is in practice around the globe. We have not done it in Nepal yet. But till today, no official declaration of holding both Federal and Provincial election together has been made.

If the government makes official announcement, will the EC be ready?

Let the government announce first. Then the EC will give its official opinion in this regard.

Hasn’t the government and the EC discussed about conducting both election together yet?

This topic has entered discussion. But the problems are not only with the EC. Participating political parties, leaders, candidates and voters must also feel comfortable.

KATHMANDU, Aug 1: CPN (Maoist Center) leader Chakrapani Khanal has argued that the government should conduct the elections of Province and Federal level in two stages.

“Holding both elections on the same day could have constitutional and logistic difficulties,” he said while speaking at an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Tuesday.

“Therefore, it is better if the polls are held separately,” he added.

Last week, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur had urged the office bearers of the Election Commission (EC) to prepare for holding both elections in a single go. However, the EC, saying that there were constitutional and logistics challenges, had told that it would be difficult to hold two polls together.

The EC had stated that it alone had to print 70 million ballot papers for holding the both polls together which was almost impossible. The EC has also expressed reservation whether the majority of voters could us both ballot papers.

According to the EC, conducting both elections in a single stage could fail to ensure 33 percent women representation and other backward and marginalized communities in the provincial and federal parliament as envisioned by the constitution.

On the occasion, Khanal, also the former Chief political advisor of Prime Minister, also claimed that the upcoming third phase of local level election in Province 2 slated for September 18 and the remaining elections will be held before deadline at any cost.

“All three tiers of election will be conducted and a new government will be formed before January 21, 2018,” he assured.

Khanal further said that the government is making serious efforts to give conclusion to the under discussion constitution amendment proposal.

“The attempts to bring the agitating Rastriya Janata Party Nepal on board the election by addressing their genuine demands have been taken seriously. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is doing homework to gather two-thirds majority in favor of the amendment proposal,” he added.

Responding to a media person’s inquiry about Maoist Center’s preparation, leader Khanal said that the party is preparing to organize a general meeting regarding its preparation about the second phase election.

He also said that the party is open to forge poll alliance in the upcoming polls.

KATHMANDU, July 30: Newly appointed Minister for Commerce and Supplies Min Bishwokarma has said that the government is already prepared for conducting the Provincial and Federal election in a single stage.

“The government has already started discussion with the office bearers of the Election Commission (EC). The EC has positively responded to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur’s proposal,” said Minister Bishwokarma while speaking at an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Sunday.

“The government is preparing to conduct both the elections during mid to late November,” he said.

“The main opposition and other parties have positively responded toward it,” he added.

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

KATHMANDU, July 21: Prime Minister and Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba has said all the three levels of election were imperative for the implementation of the constitution and that the date for the election of the province and federation would be announced soon.

Addressing a program organized by the Society for Democratic Thinking today to commemorate the 35th memorial day of the popular leader the late BP Koirala, PM Deuba underlined the need of conducting all the three levels of elections within the time frame stipulated by the constitution.

“The election constituency delimitation commission has been constituted on Thursday only in preparation for the state and federation elections,” he said, adding that two rounds of the local-level elections have already been held while the third phase local election for Province 2 is due on September 18.

He was of the view that the federal democratic republic would be stabilized only after the conduction of the three-tier elections in the stipulated timeframe.

The Prime Minister, who is also the Nepali Congress president, stated that as the largest and the oldest democratic party in the country it was incumbent upon the Nepali Congress to transform the parties yet to change themselves in democratic parties to do so.

Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh KC expressed concern over the growing culture of power-sharing among the political parties rather than respecting the knowledge and skills of an individual while making appointments to different high posts in the state bodies. He called on the intellectual community to give realistic suggestions based on critical truth to the rulers.

Party leader Sujata Koirala said the people have trusted the Nepali Congress throughout as it has always played a leading role for resolving each and every crisis facing the country, and drew the attention of the party leadership over the waning in people’s trust towards the party in the latest elections.

Another party leader Laxman Ghimire expressed worry over the tenets of nationality, democracy and socialism propounded by the late BP Koirala getting shadowed, saying the public trust towards politics and the political leaders was on the wane due to the high-handed activities of the present political leadership.

Society president Dr Kedar Narsingh KC, senior vice-president and RSS chairman Kul Chandra Wagle, former president Homnath Dahal, Nepal Bar Association president Sher Bahadur KC, secretary Dr Basudev Bhandari, among the speakers, talked about the works carried out by the Society and its relevance.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Deuba honored party leader Chakra Prasad Bastola with the ‘Loktantrik Yodhdha (Democratic Fighter)’ title and a cash prize of Rs 25 thousand. Bastola has been hospitalized for long and is in a semi-conscious state.

Bastola’s spouse, Kusum Bastola received the award on behalf of her bed-ridden husband.
A special publication entitled ‘Chintan’ dedicated to former Prime Minister and party president the late Girija Prasad Koirala, was also released on the occasion. RSS