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Commissioner Issues Instructions For Fair Elections in Nepal

By Bahadur  

The Chief Election Commissioner has instructed the returning officers and law enforcers to uphold the laws and regulations to ensure free and fair elections. Speaking at a programme, the Chief Election Commissioner made it clear that the voters will be facilitated to cast their ballots in the polls without fear and favour as free and meaningful participation of the electorate is the basis of a sound democratic system. He urged all the political parties to make use of the democratic opportunity to contribute to the process of revitalising and refashioning multiparty democracy in the country.

The municipality polls are to be held during the forthcoming months to breathe new life in the democratic process as the country has had to contend itself for long without elected democratic institutions both at the local and central levels. Some political parties have shown their recalcitrant attitude and approach to the polls. However, the commission is committed to the polls and is gearing up for conducting the democratic exercise. Moreover, the code of conduct for both the electronic and the print media has entered into effect.

The measures taken by the Election Commission have cleared the decks for the municipality elections. The constitutional body should be credited for carrying out its tasks like updating the voters' list, ascertaining the needs of the polling booths and imparting training and orientations for the personnel involved in conducting the polls. The Election Commission has also held dialogue time and again with the political parties and representatives of the law enforcement agencies to cooperate in maintaining security for the polls. The Election Commission and its machinery are, thus, fully equipped and rolled into action to translate the direction of His Majesty the King to hold the polls for the municipalities and carry out the activities required for the democratic development and its consolidation.

This is in line with the strategy and process necessary to complete the democratic elections for all national and local body institutions. It is the utmost duty and obligation of the political parties to stay firm on the democratic course and provide cooperation to the electoral process to ensure that the polls for the local bodies are a success.