KATHMANDU, Oct 9: Nepali Congress (NC) representatives began lining up early Friday to vote in the party’s 15th General Convention to elect a new Central Working Committee. Voting is scheduled to run from 7 AM to 3 PM, with vote counting expected to begin after polling concludes.
The election, initially scheduled to begin Thursday afternoon, was postponed until Friday morning due to bad weather, technical difficulties and concerns about the hardship voters could face if polling continued late into the night, said Raju Katuwal, member secretary of the Election Committee.
The convention has 7,317 representatives, according to Katuwal. However, the Election Committee separately said 7,255 representatives would vote, leaving a discrepancy in the figures.
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Election Committee coordinator and senior advocate Prem Bahadur Khadka said preparations had been completed. He added that 32 senior advocates were signing ballot papers, with printing delayed due to the large number of candidates and voters.
Umesh Shrestha, coordinator of the Financial Management Committee, said the party would cover delegates’ hotel accommodation and food expenses for Friday as the convention had been extended by a day.
Voting centres designated by province
The Election Committee has designated polling centres for delegates from different provinces and groups. Delegates from Bagmati Province will vote at the National Assembly Hall’s Centre A, while those from Koshi Province and the Tarai-Madhesh group will vote at Khulamanch’s Centre B. Delegates from Gandaki Province will cast their ballots at Himal Hall, while those from Madhesh Province will vote at Tarai-Madhesh Hall. Representatives from Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces, along with those from Nepali Public Relation Committees and sister organisations, will vote at Pahad Hall.
Delegates must visit their designated centres, where their identity cards and names on the voter list will be verified before they are allowed to vote. Mobile phones and other items prohibited under the election code of conduct are not allowed inside polling stations.
Vote counting to begin after polling
The Election Committee said ballot boxes would be secured and the required procedures completed before counting begins. Results will be announced after the count is completed.
The convention has amended the party statute to expand the Central Working Committee to 297 members. The election will determine the party’s president, vice-presidents, general secretaries, joint general secretaries and central members, shaping its organisational leadership for the coming term.
