KATHMANDU, JUNE 29: Prime Minister and Nepali Congress president Sher BahadurDeuba has thanked all for the conduction of the second round local level election in a free, fair and enthusiastic manner and in a fear-free environment.

“Voting has taken place in a very enthusiastic manner in the local levels of all the 35 districts in Provinces 1, 5 and 7 under the second phase of the local level elections, with the first round elections of local levels having already been held following the promulgation of the federal, democratic republican constitution. This local level election has given an opportunity to institutionalize and strengthen the achievements that have been secured as a result of very hard efforts and dedication, and passing through the ups and downs as well as the challenges of the incessant democratic struggle for decades,” Nepali Congress central party office chief secretary Krishna Prasad Poudel quoted the Prime Minister.

Stating that all the Nepali sisters and brothers voted with much enthusiasm, restraint and patience in this grand mission of building an equitable society based on democratic culture and ethos by making the nation independent, self-assured and prosperous, while at the same time guaranteeing good governance social justice and economic prosperity to the people through the successful implementation of the constitution, Prime Minister Deuba said the government and the political parties have been further motivated by the support, and cooperation of the people in the election.

He opined that the enthusiastic public participation seen in the second phase election was an indication for the success of the third phase local election to be held in Province 2 on September 18 and the successive province and the central level elections.

Prime Minister Deuba, on his and his party’s behalf, thanked the Government of Nepal and the Election Commission as well as the civil servants who were deputed on election duty round the clock, the security bodies, political parties, journalists, national and international observers, and all the voter sisters and brothers for successfully conducting the election in a free, fair, fear-free and enthusiastic manner. RSS

KATHMANDU, June 28: The Election Commission has said the voters’ turnout stood at least 70.5 percent in the second round of local level election held in Province No 1, 5 and 7 on Wednesday.

KATHMANDU, June 28: Voting at a voting center set up in Vanvane of Rolpa Municipality-10 has come to a halt after an unidentified person poured acid in a ballot box of booth ‘B’.

Some ballot papers were burned due to the acid.  The person to throw acid is yet to be identified yet and an investigation has been launched. The voting will be resumed after sometimes, according to the police.

KATHAMANDU, June 28: A bomb has gone off at a polling center set up at Bhrikuti Higher Secondary School in Bhamdatta Municiaplity of Kanchanpur district when voting was taking place.

According to police, the bomb went off in a toilet at the voting center. But no casualties were caused. The voting has resumed.

Likewise, a bomb was disposed by Nepal Army personnel in Bajura district. The bomb was set up at Nadpata voting center.

kATHMANDU, June 27: Public Innovator Mr. Dipendra Kandel in a press release states that the upcoming 2nd phase local election will again disappoint new political parties like Naya Shakti, BibekSheel Party and Sajha Party. He stressed in his statement that “It is the need of our Nation that we need a majority government if possible and if not the same political party at the local, state and national level”.

He said that it is a fact that we never give majority to one party  in the local and national level whereas we people keep blaming parties for not developing or simple innovation in the public sector. Unfortunately, the first phase local election elected mixed candidates of the mainly three major parties such as CPN UML, Nepali Congress and CPN Maoist. However, the small and new political parties are badly disappointed by the voters.

He added that there is less chance of having  new political parties in Nepal. On the one hand, Nepalese politics is based on the spoilt cadre based system. On the other hand, there is  no media approach in the rural areas and it’s hard to relay messages to the centre of the region. Hence, they may need decades to make their party and we cannot wait even a second for innovation.

Kandel said it is a good idea to have 2 or 3 political parties in Nepal. If there are  many parties fighting in the election then we people have to vote for the major party elected in the first phase and disappoint again the new political parties.

Er. DipendraKandel is a Public Innovator, President Of Kandel Foundation – Think Tank “Innovating The Public Sector”, and a research scholar at Mohammed Bin Rashid School Of Government, Dubai conducting research “Economic Analysis Of Federalism In Nepal”.