In a meeting with Indian ambassador to Nepal Jayant Prasad on Monday, EC top officials asked for the logistical supports from the Indian Government as it did in the CA elections 2008. [break]
According to EC Spokesperson Madhu Prasad Regmi, Prasad, in response, said that he would forward the request to the Indian Government.
Regmi said that they also asked for mini trucks, among other logistic supports from the Indian government. “The EC needs 150,000 ballot units and 55,000 control units for CA polls,” he maintained.
The EC top officials applauded the Indian supports for the EVMs in CA polls 2008 stating that it was widely accepted and time efficient.
However, an EC commissioner said that they are yet to come up with categorical lists on supports to be sought from the Indian government. “We could not spell out categorically as it was our first meeting with the Indian ambassador,” said the commissioner, “It will be followed by other meetings.” The constitutional body had used EVMs in seven constituencies during the CA elections 2008.
Meanwhile, officials from the European Union (EU) held discussions with the chief election commissioner and commissioners on Monday at the EC´s central office at Kantipath about the CA polls.
According to EC officials, they asked if the EC needs election observers in the CA polls as during the erstwhile elections.
In response, the EC commissioners stated that the constitutional body expects supports from the EU as it received during the CA polls in 2008. “It is obvious that we need observers during the CA polls in the present situation,” said an EC commissioner. They (EU officials) also expressed concerns over free and fair election.
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