President urges EC to hold all-party meeting, present poll results

Published On: January 5, 2018 05:00 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Jan 5: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has urged the Election Commission (EC) to present the final poll results at the earliest by forging consensus among political parties.

In a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav and other commissioners on Thursday, the head of state asked the EC not to delay releasing the poll results.
The president opined that the parties commanding majority in the recently held elections should be allowed to form the new government in accordance with the peoples' mandate.
"Try to call an all-party meeting and release the final poll results at the earliest. I am also ready to facilitate to for this," the president's personal secretary Bhesh Raj Adhikari quoted her as saying.

At the meeting, CEC Yadav pointed out to constitutional and legal hurdles to announce the final poll results prior to the election of the upper house. Also, CEC Yadav complained that the conflicting stances taken by the major parties have complicated the problem in releasing the poll results.
Responding to CEC Yadav's concern, president Bhandari suggested to hold discussion among parties and assured of facilitating among the parties if any help is needed.

Citing constitutional provisions, both the NC and the EC are for announcing the final poll results only after the upper house is formed. The left alliance has been demanding the immediate release of the final poll results so that they can show a majority in parliament and form the new government.
However, rejecting calls from the left alliance, the EC has not allocated the proportional representation seats in the lower house even though it has completed verification of the PR votes. Poll results under the first-past-the-post electoral system have already been announced. The EC has also already allocated PR seats for the provincial assemblies.

Amid differences among the parties, the government is preparing to conduct upper house elections by February 8.