Bibeksheel Sajha not to participate in today’s NA by-polls, demands 'no vote' system

KATHMANDU, May 20: The Bibeksheel Sajha Party has decided not to participate in Thursday's by-elections for a vacant seat in the National Assembly (NA). 

Issuing a statement earlier on Thursday, Ramesh Poudyal, the leader of the parliamentary party in Bagmati Province,  said that the party has decided not to vote for any of the  three candidates in today's elections. 

“The party has decided not to participate in the election process as we are not convinced that the three candidates contesting the elections will be able to play the role as per our expectation in the upper house of parliament,” reads the statement. 

The party also, which has three provincial lawmakers in Bagmati Province, demanded the government and the Election Commission to implement the no-vote option in the ballots.

The Supreme Court, on January 5, 2015, had issued a directive order in the name of the government to introduce the provision for 'No Vote' in the ballot papers.

Voting for a vacant seat in the NA is underway at the Hetauda-based Bhutan Devi Secondary School. The voting, which began on 9 AM, will contintue untill 3 PM. 

Minister for Home Affairs, Ram Bahadur Thapa from the ruling CPN-UML and Dr Khimlal Devkota from the opposition alliance including Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Center) and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) are vying for the vacant seat in the upper house of parliament. Similarly, Krishna Bahadur Tamang from the Nepal Peasants and Farmers Party is also in the race.