Election Monitoring Report Finds Polling Stations Not Gender, Disability, or Inclusive Friendly

Kathmandu. The polling stations for the House of Representatives Election 2082 have been found to be neither gender, disability, nor inclusive friendly. A preliminary observation report concluding that the House of Representatives Election 2082 was not gender, disability, or inclusive friendly was made public by fifteen non-governmental organizations led by the Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD).

At an event held on Sunday, it was pointed out that the work was not carried out according to the directives prepared by the Election Commission, and the polling stations failed to meet minimum standards.

The report analyzed the election process from a gender, disability, and inclusive perspective based on the direct observation of 160 polling stations across 24 districts in all seven provinces.

FWLD advocate Sagar Pathak informed that the report was prepared by observing through the 'J-C Method' (pre-voting, during voting, and counting stages). However, it was also stated that there was a lack of time for adequate preparation due to the late approval received from the Election Commission for observation.

Furthermore, although separate queues were arranged for women and men at most polling stations, basic necessities such as drinking water, breastfeeding rooms, and rest areas were found to be lacking. Senior Advocate Meera Dhungana shared her experience that while the polling sites were women-friendly, attention was not paid to the exit routes after voting.

According to the report, the polling stations were not disability-friendly. Sushmita Shrestha, President of the Women with Disabilities Association, stated that the polling centers were not disability-friendly. It was also observed that the return path after voting was not considered for the elderly and infirm.

Complaints were received regarding the lack of first aid arrangements, disorganized voting lines, and differential treatment towards female election police. Bindra Maharjan of the Campaign for Peace organization stated that more importance was given to foreign observers than to Nepali ones. Similarly, Rita Thapa of the Tewa organization informed that rude behavior from the polling officers was also experienced during the observation.

FWLD Executive Director Advocate Sabin Shrestha stated that the polling stations were not prepared according to the directives issued by the Election Commission, and they could not find any polling stations that met the minimum standards. He pointed out that the polling centers themselves were deprived of sufficient information and emphasized the need for an in-depth analysis of the polling centers in the coming days.

Photographs depicting the construction of polling stations, the voting process, and the counting stage taken during the observation were also displayed at the event. The report provided suggestions for more effective and inclusive management in future elections.