Voter registration in full swing

KATHMANDU, April 4: The Election Commission (EC)´s contentious program of collecting new electoral roll with voters´ photograph and fingerprint has come into full-fledged operation all across the country with no obstruction even in the Tarai districts.



The registration process progressed in fits and starts for the last seven months after Madhes-based parties objected to registration only on the basis of citizenship.[break]



The Supreme Court ruling on February 9, which ended the longstanding dispute over whether or not to accept other forms of identification documents, paved the way for EC to register voters only on the basis of citizenship.



According to Rajendra Sharma, Spokesperson of the EC, the commission recently dispatched entire logistics to all seventy five districts. "With no obstructions in Terai districts, we will complete the process by mid July," he informed.   



The EC decided to begin voter registration in all 75 districts only recently. Earlier, the commission had decided to carry out voter registration only in 43 districts.



Sharma said the EC dispatched 3,000 laptops, equal number of web cameras, finger print scanners, keyboards and 800 generators to facilitate the registration process. Papers, directives, forms, guidelines have also been dispatched. Sharma informed that the entire logistics were dispatched in around 40 trucks with the help of Armed Police Force (APF).



According to Acting Chief Election Commissioner Neel Kantha Uprety, this would be the first time in EC´s history that its officials would meet every adult citizen before registering them as voters.



Officials say meeting every citizen, taking their photographs, finger prints and personal details will help develop an authentic and reliable electoral roll for free and fair election.



"We will deploy nearly 91,000 officials for the purpose during various phases," Sharma added.



The registration process will remain open round the year.



Those who have migrated from their original place will have to produce either migration certificate or recommendation from respective VDCs or house ownership certificate and electricity bills to get registered under the new process. Otherwise, they will have to consult the district election office at the district headquarter of their original place.

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