Shyam Dhwaja Karki of Dhanusha district, who currently lives in the United States of America, moved the apex court, stating that the Election Commission (EC) and the present government are making preparations for the upcoming Constituent Assembly (CA) election while ignoring millions of Nepalis who are out of the country. [break]
Stating that 115 countries across the globe allow their citizens living abroad to cast their votes through diplomatic missions, the writ petitioner has urged the SC to issue an order to the government and the Election Commission to make similar arrangements for Nepalis living abroad.
Karki has claimed that depriving eligible Nepali voters living abroad of their voting right is against the interim constitution, which has guaranteed the vote for all Nepalis who are above 18 years of age.
The writ petitioner has also claimed that the CA election scheduled for November 19 cannot be adequate and fair if 5.6 million Nepalis staying abroad are prevented from casting their votes.
Pointing out that Nepalis posted at Nepal´s diplomatic missions abroad were allowed to cast their votes during the national referendum held 35 years ago, Karki has argued that the same thing can be done for the upcoming CA poll.
According to the writ petition, 4.1 million Nepalis live in India, 400,000 in Burma, 350,000 in Saudi Arabia, 300,000 in Malaysia, 111,000 in the USA, 70,00 in Australia and 100,000 each in Japan and Qatar.
Similarly, 50,000 Nepalis each are to be found in the United Arab Emirates and in the United Kingdom, and 20,000 in China.
Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi, his office and the EC are named as defendants in the writ petition.
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