KATHMANDU, August 31: Backtracking on its previous decision, the government has decided to hold the provincial and federal elections in two phases on November 26 and December 7.
Although both the provincial and the federal elections will be held simultaneously, they will be held in two phases. This comes against the government's previous decision to hold both the polls simultaneously across the country on November 26.
A cabinet meeting held on Wednesday decided to hold the polls in two different dates as per the suggestions of the Election Commission (EC), which said it is logistically challenging to hold the polls across the country in one go.
Speaking to journalists after the cabinet meeting, Minister for Information and Communications Mohan Bahadur Basnet said the meeting decided to hold the second phase of the polls on December 7 as per the recommendation of the EC. He said that a complete schedule of the elections would be announced once the government receives the report of the Electoral Constituency Delineation Commission.
Although the cabinet meeting decided to hold the polls in two phases, it has not announced yet as to which provinces will witness the polls in the first phase and which others will have polls in the second phase. Minister Basnet said the remaining issues relating to provinces including the provincial capitals will be finalized later on the basis of political consensus.
The cabinet meeting on Wednesday also took various other decisions including a decision to set up National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission as per the recommendations of the Constitutional Council.
According to Minister Basnet, the meeting also discussed whether to scrap the senior superintendent of police position and create new vacancies for deputy inspectors general in Nepal Police. The meeting also decided to promote Nepal Army Brigadier General Rajendra Karki to the post of major general.
EC sets conditions for polls in two phases
Four secretaries transferred
The cabinet on Wednesday transferred various four secretaries.
According to Minister Banset, Secretary at the Ministry of Land Reforms Krishna Raj Devkota has been transferred to the Ministry of Supplies. Shambhu Koirala has been transferred to the Ministry of Land Reforms to succeed Devkota.
Similarly, the cabinet meeting has transferred Krishna Raj GC to the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Maheshwar Neupane to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.
