The plan that hit a snag mainly after the protest from Madhes-based political parties has faced yet another complication with donor agencies raising serious concerns on the matter following the Supreme Court order asking the EC to stop the registration drive.[break]
The SC order apart, the EC´s move to collect new electoral roll without the evidence of citizenship, the government´s plan faces mainly three complications.
First, the donor agencies, who have already decided to invest nearly Rs 120 million in the new voters´ registration process, have expressed serious concern over the SC order; second, the Madhes-based parties´ reaction protesting the court´s order; and third, the government´s seriousness about its commitment to implement the new voters´ registration process.
On Friday, representatives of various donor agencies met Acting Chief Election Commissioner Neel Kantha Uprety and expressed their concern over the matter.
"Donors agencies have shown their serious concern over the matter. They said they will continue their support to EC even if it faces problems due to non-cooperation from various quarters," said Uprety, adding, "They however, want the complications to end at the earliest."
Apart from donor´s support, the government has already decided to invest Rs 200 million from the state coffer for the new voters´ registration process that requires voters´ photograph and fingerprint. For the first time in its history, the commission has decided to introduce new electoral roll with voters´ photograph in a bid to minimize bogus voting in future.
- Donor agencies concerned about the disputes
- We won´t use EC´s data if it collects electoral roll without the evidence of citizenship: MoHA
- We won´t initiate the collection drive until the next decision of SC: EC Chief
The plan faces further complication with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) deciding not to use the EC´s data for National Identity Card. The MoHA has said that it found the commission´s decision to collect new electoral roll even without the evidence of citizenship unacceptable.
"We are alarmed by the EC´s decision to collect voters´ registration without the evidence of citizenship. Even SC has ordered a stay on the EC´s collection drive. We wont accept EC´s data if it collects voters´ registration without citizenship," said an official at the MoHA on condition of anonymity. He, however, clarified that the ministry has adopted a wait and see position on the issue until the next SC decision and the EC´s subsequent move.
The Madhes-based parties, on the other hand, in blatant violation of respect towards independent judiciary, publicly announced that they would protest the Supreme Court order unless it corrects its decision. Madhes-based parities also criticized SC for being influenced by the government and other political parties while issuing the stay order on the matter.
The EC´ stance on compulsory citizenship for voters´ registration was changed following disputes and intermittent disturbances, especially by Madhes-based parties, during the registration process in the Tarai districts.
The SC on Thursday said only Nepali citizens enjoy the right to participate in the voting process, meaning one should have acquired Nepali citizenship to enjoy voting rights.
"We have taken SC´s decision positively and it is our duty to abide by the court´s order," said Acting Chief Election Commissioner Uprety, adding, "We won´t initiate any process in this regard until the final decision of the SC." Uprety also demanded the removal of ambiguous provisions in the law which, according to him, led the commission to take the decision to collect electoral roll without the evidence of citizenship.
The EC on November 3 had decided to accept identification documents other than citizenship certificate for registration in the voters´ list. The EC had decided to accept land ownership certificates and documents issued by academic institutions, among others, as identity citing that the existing laws permitted them to do so.
Data and other particulars collected for the electoral roll are expected to help in developing the NID, which will gradually replace the traditional citizenship card.
Related story
EU EOM observing electoral process
