Election Commission asks government to determine May 18 as local-level election date

Kathmandu, Feb 1 (RSS) : The Election Commission has advised the government to determine the date of local-level election for May 18, 2022.

Visiting the Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, a team comprising Chief Election Commissioner briefed PM Deuba that the local level election should be held before May 18 as the term of the office-bearers of local-level would be terminated on May 19.

The EC familiarized the government about constitutional and legal responsibility of the government and EC to hold local-level election as per the Article 215 (6), Article 216 (6) and Article 220 (5) of the constitution and Article 4 and Article 55 of Local-Level Election Act-2073.

A press release issued by the EC reads that the EC was prepared to hold the election on the determined date as it has been carrying out activities including voters namelist collection, review of voting centres, as well as preparations of election related activities.

On the same, Prime Minister Deuba said that the date of the election would be determined by fulfilling the necessary process to hold local-level election in the same phase on the proposed date as per the EC’s advice.

Urging the EC to carry out all necessary preparations to hold local-level election in free and fair environment, PM Deuba directed the home ministry to make necessary arrangement of security.

Similarly, Chief Election Commissioner Thapaliya urged the government to recognize the consultation, role and responsibility of the commission in relation to this constitutional and legal provision of holding elections.

Clarifying that there was no alternative to holding local-level election before the termination of term of the local-level office-bearers as there was no constitutional and legal provision to extend the term of local-level, he said that none of the constitutional and legal provisions  are contradictory with existing laws.

Present on the occasion were the Home Minister, the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, the  Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the Attorney General, the  Chief Secretary, high-level officials as well as election commissioners along with  EC spokesperson and secretary.