EC intensifies preparation for November 20 elections

KATHMANDU: The Election Commission (EC) Nepal has intensified its preparation to hold the November 20 elections of the provincial and federal parliaments in a free and fair manner. In this connection, it endorsed the election schedule. The directive, work procedure and amendments relating to the election have also been approved. Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya informed that EC had called for the registration of the political parties willing to participate in the election and completed the financial management work procedure and budget. The EC has been provided 107 days for the preparation. The election cost has been estimated at Rs 10 billion while the total voters will be around 18.2 million. Moreover, international organisations have been called for election observation to hold the election in a free, fair and frugal manner. It has been reported that there will be around 10,825 polling stations. CCTV surveillance will be put in place for making the vote count credible. It will be helpful for monitoring the election and vote count as well. Citizens turning 18 years prior to the election are eligible to exercise voting rights. The EC extensively uses a digital medium for voting literacy. Meanwhile, the EC has been conducting discussions and consultations with experts and political representatives in a bid to minimise the percentage of invalid votes and increase voters' turnout. Moreover, EC has also planned to ensure voting rights to the employees and security personnel mobilised for the election and the inmates by including them in the temporary voters' list. With this, they can at least vote for a proportional election. Efforts are on to discourage prodigal election publicity. Another nagging issue the EC is facing and taking efforts to address is the spread of fake news. EC believes that disinformation and misinformation pollute the electoral information system. Likewise, equal attention has been drawn to the promotion of honest politics. The candidates will be urged to make self-disclosure on their qualifications and financial issues. READ ALSO:

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