EC seeks 4 months after clearing hurdles for new polls

KATHMANDU, July 9: Acting Chief Commissioner of Election Commission (EC) Nilkanth Uprety said the EC should be allowed four months’ time after clearing legal hurdles to hold new Constituent Assembly (CA) polls the government has called for November 22.



The acting head of EC told this to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and other government ministers on Monday while they were on a visit to the EC office based in Kantipath to take stock of ongoing preparations for the new elections. [break]



“As we have to issue 25 different guidelines amending existing provisions for elections, we need that much time,” Sharada Prasad Trital, spokesperson of EC, informed the PM and the ministers, who learnt of preparations, spending about an hour at the EC office.



In response, PM Bhattarai said his government is committed to forge political consensus to clear legal stumbling blocks to hold elections on time. He also assured the EC of necessary logistical support from the government.



Asked about pending appointments at the constitutional bodies, including EC, the PM said filling up the vacant posts is as constitutionally intricate as holding new CA elections and said dialogue is ongoing in that regard at the political level.



EC officials are scheduled to next meet members of the erstwhile CA on Tuesday.

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