Local Level Election

Nepal spent over Rs 5 billion excluding security expenses to conduct May 13 local polls

Published On: July 26, 2022 06:46 PM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


KATHMANDU, July 26: The Election Commission (EC) has revealed that over Rs 5 billion was spent for conducting the local level election held on May 13. The figure, however, does not include the expenses made by the security agencies, including the temporary police. 

Organizing a press conference at the EC Headquarters on Tuesday, EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma said that the government had allocated Rs 8.11 billion to conduct the local level election that was held in a single phase across the country. Only Rs 5.04 billion was spent to conduct the election. 

Of the total amount spent during the election, the EC Central Office spent Rs 1.24 billion while the EC offices set up across the 753 local units spent Rs 3.54 billion. The EC offices in 77 districts spent Rs 413.30 million to hold the election. 

According to Spokesperson Sharma, the home ministry spent Rs 45 million to transport ballot boxes across the country. Similarly, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology spent Rs 14.5 million to monitor the media to ensure effective implementation of the election code of conduct. He said that the total cost of holding the local level election reached Rs 5.43 billion.

According to Spokesperson Sharma, the EC has returned Rs 3.06 billion of the total budget allocated by the government to the state treasury as the money was not spent due to the austerity measures adopted by the EC. 


Leave A Comment