Election Commission has said the preparations for the March 5 House of Representatives election has reached the final stage. All the election materials have reached 165 election constituencies across the country for the upcoming election, which is just one week away.
Around 41.15 million ballot papers, both for first past the post (FPTP) or direct election and proportionate voting system, have reached all 165 constituencies in all 77 districts across the country, said Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, spokesperson at the Election Commission.
The EC has also been conducting voters education programme in all 753 local level bodies across the country since February 15, which will complete on March 1, the EC said. The political parties have officially launched election campaign from February 16, which will continue till March 2. The Central Election Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee along with other concerned bodies are actively carrying out election monitoring works.
The EC has already instructed political parties and candidates to make their election campaign in modest and civilized manner. Speaking at an interaction programme in Kathmandu acting chief election commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari has said that the commission is committed towards conducting the upcoming election in a free, fair and reliable manner and the election preparation works have reached its final stage.
The government has announced three day holiday starting from March 4 for encouraging participation of the voters. On March 5, more than 18.9 million eligible voters will exercise their voting rights. The voting starts at 7 am and concludes on 5 pm. The EC has claimed that the results under the direct voting system will be announced within 24 hours after the collection of all the ballot boxes. During the HoR election, altogether 275 Parliament Members, 165 under direct voting and 110 under proportionate voting system, will be elected.
The government has arranged full-proof security under the coordination of Nepal Army by deploying more than 330,000 security personnel including 80,000 Nepal Army personnel and 135,000 temporary police people.
