Kathmandu. The Election Commission has said that all preparations have been completed for the election to the members of the House of Representatives. According to the EC, the required ballot papers, ballot boxes and other election materials have been transported to the polling stations. According to the commission, security arrangements have also been made.

The EC has said that all preparations have been made for the construction and management of polling centers, access management, gender-friendly and disabled-friendly arrangements and staff mobilization for the upcoming elections. The EC has appealed to the voters to exercise their franchise without any hesitation as reliable security arrangements have been put in place to enable them to cast their votes.

Organizing a press conference here today, the Acting Chief Election Commissioner and other office-bearers of the EC said that the EC was active to fulfill its responsibility of holding free, fair, transparent and credible election as per the constitutional responsibility.

“The election is not only the process of electing one’s representatives or forming a government, but also a constitutional exercise to renew the legitimacy of democracy. Voting for the consolidation of democracy is the right and responsibility of the citizens,” said Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari. ’’

Speaking at the press meet, Acting Chief Commissioner Bhandari clarified that no complaint has been received so far regarding the disqualification of other candidates except the previous complaints.

Results to be submitted within 24 hours of start of counting

The EC has made arrangements to count the first-past-the-post (FPTP) results within 24 hours of the commencement of vote counting. After that, the counting of votes under the proportional representation system will take place. According to EC Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut, the ballot boxes will be collected from 61 places in the remote hilly districts through Nepal Army helicopters and vehicles in other places.

According to the EC, the security and collection of ballot papers and ballot boxes would be carried out as per the integrated security plan as in the past. Acting Chief Election Commissioner Bhandari said, “The ballot box collection will be done as per the previous system. The Nepal Army does not collect separately. There is no exchange of ballot boxes. There is no need to doubt it. ’’

In some districts, candidates have also been arrested on suspicion of influencing voters with money and alcohol. Acting Chief Commissioner Bhandari clarified that the Commission has adopted a policy of zero tolerance on such activities.

A total of 65 political parties are vying for the first-past-the-post election system under the first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP) election for the upcoming elections. A total of 3,406 candidates including 3,017 male, 388 female and one third are contesting under FPTP category.

Similarly, a total of 3,135 candidates including 1,363 male and 1,772 female are contesting under the PR system. The elections will be held for 165 constituencies under the first-past-the-post category and for 110 constituencies under the proportional representation. A total of 1,8903,689 voters including 9,633,358 male, 9,240,131 female and 200 third gender voters are eligible to cast their ballots. There are 1,86,142 provisional voters.