Bajura. The indigenous communities of the district who have descended to the valley to escape the cold will be facing problems to cast their votes in the upcoming elections to the House of Representatives.

It will be difficult for them to cast their votes as they will return to their villages only in April. Nripa Bahadur Thapa (Bhote), former chairman of Bajura Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, said that it would be difficult for the people to participate in the voting as they have come to the valley with sheep and goats to escape cold since last November. According to him, more than 500 families of such communities have been living here.

They live in ward no 7 of Badimalika municipality, ward no 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 of Budhinanda municipality and ward no 2 and 3 of Himali rural municipality. Jagat Thapa (Bhote) said that he has reached Sanagaun of Doti after shifting to Sanagaun of Doti to face difficulties in voting in the upcoming elections. He said, “My family is here with me and all four of us have migrated seasonally to vote.” According to Thapa, it will take more than a week to reach the village for voting.

Chief District Officer (CDO) Dorendra Prasad Niraula said the voters would be motivated to come to the village to cast their votes. There are 77 polling stations in the district. A total of 118 polling centres have been set up at these polling stations, said Bhim Bahadur Shahi, election officer at the District Election Office. There are 87,861 voters in the election. Of them, 41,618 are female and 46,243 are male.