Ruling parties reach an agreement to hold local level elections by mid-June

KATHMANDU, Jan 30: The country will have the local level elections by the Nepali month of Jestha (mid-June). 

A high-level mechanism formed by the ruling parties for assisting the government suggested the government hold the local level elections by mid-June.

The meeting of the high-level mechanism held at Prime Minister's residence Baluwatar on Saturday furnished this suggestion, said mechanism coordinator and Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, adding that the government would conduct the local level elections by mid-June after consulting the Election Commission.

The mechanism suggested the government via the Prime Minister hold the elections before mid-June. The meeting also suggested the government amend the laws inconsistent with the constitution if necessary. "Now, the government announces the election date by consulting the Election Commission," said Minister Karki.

With federalism in place, the local level elections were held in three phases in 2017.. Considering the three phases of the last local level elections, the inconsistent laws would be amended and the next local level elections held before mid-June.

He further said the five-party alliance is committed to holding periodic elections as per democratic values and the spirit of the constitution. The meeting convened under the coordination of Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba was attended by top leaders of the Nepali Congress, CPN Maoist Centre, CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajbadi Party and Rastriya Janamorcha.