Kathmandu, March 31 – The Election Commission has assured everyone not to doubt the holding of the local level election on the slated date itself and in a free, fair and fear-free environment.
This commitment from the Election Commission was made in a training programme on election and security organised for all the four security bodies of the country to be deputed for the local level election slated for May 14 this year.
Election Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Shah said the Commission was capable of conducting a fair election as the situation was not difficult and out of control from the security aspect. “The security bodies have expressed the commitment to fulfill their responsibility with a high degree of morale,” he said.
Election commissioner Shah directed the security personnel to carry out their work in an integrated and impartial manner while fulfilling the professional responsibility so that a maximum number of voters would be able to cast their votes without any fear and return home after exercising their franchise without any kind of intimidation, fear or threat.
He further said, “Although there are differences among the political parties, the election would not be stopped now as it is being held for constituting the sovereign and independent local level government, and there would not be any ‘government’s candidate’ in the election this time.”
Stating that this training was taking place as a part of the preparations for holding the election in a single phase, election commissioner Shah said, “The local level election is taking place after 20 years, and if the election does not take place, it might be interpreted as the constitution is not implemented. So for this reason also this election is an issue of ‘do or die’ for all of us who believe in democracy.”
Fifteen Nepalese Army officers, 20 Nepal Police officers, 15 Armed Police Force (APF) officers and six officers from the National Investigation Department are taking part in the training. Two officers each from the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs are also attending the two-day training.
Earlier, inaugurating the training, Chief Election Commissioner Dr Ayodhi Prasad Yadav directed making the security arrangements for the upcoming local level election by assessing the risk and challenges voters and specially the women candidates might face.
“Security is the basic need of all citizens. It is necessary for all the security bodies to immediately prepare their action plan and deploy down to the local level as the election programme has already begun. The Commission wants that the security agencies also carry out their works in a free and fair manner,” the Chief Election Commissioner said.
Home Ministry joint-secretary Balkrishna Panthi said the issue of security has assumed gravity and significance as the participation and the number of candidates is going to be high in the local level election taking place after a gap of many years.
He called on the security bodies to fulfill their responsibilities thinking that maintaining election-related security is their and the nation’s responsibility. “The Ministry has already prepared the outline of the goal and viewpoint regarding the type of security strategy and arrangements to be adopted in view of the election. The election would not be affected due to the security,” he added.
Assistant spokesperson of the Election Commission, Surya Prasad Aryal said the training of trainers has been organized with the objective of holding the local level election in a free, fair and peaceful manner through the collaboration and cooperation between the commission and the security bodies.
The commission has been working amidst the challenge and the responsibility of making all preparations for the election within 82 days this time as against the minimum 120 days that it used to take for the election preparation in normal times.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has prepared an action plan that aims to mobilize 226 thousand security personnel for the local election
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