Acting Election Chief Bhandari Highlights Peaceful Election Success Post-Rebellion

Kathmandu. Acting Chief Election Commissioner of the Election Commission, Nepal, Ramprasad Bhandari, stated that it was no small feat to peacefully complete the House of Representatives elections within the stipulated time of six months after the rebellion in Janjivi.

Inaugurating the central-level review workshop on the elections held on Falgun 21, Acting Chief Bhandari clarified that the elections were completed with the participation of the Nepal government, the commission, political parties, concerned parties, and the general public amidst skepticism about whether elections would be held after the announcement of the election date and numerous challenges.

"It is no small feat to peacefully complete elections within six months of the rebellion. The international community has also been closely watching these elections," said Commissioner Bhandari. "This success was not solely the effort of the Election Commission. We gave importance to political dialogue from the beginning with the belief that no one should prohibit anyone. With the support of the government, we succeeded in bringing the rebel group, the old political group, and the nascent political group to the same table for dialogue and to increase cordiality."

Acting Commissioner Bhandari recalled that they worked day and night to conduct the elections amidst challenges, as there was no alternative other than elections to maintain the discipline disrupted by the movement, and stated that the elections were economical and comparatively well-organized.

He said that based on the suggestions received from the review workshop, work would be done on action plans to make voter education effective in future elections, make polling stations and centers more accessible, increase the percentage of valid votes, make legal reforms, and make the commission more equipped with physical infrastructure. An electronic version of the election results book was also launched at the program inaugurated by then Prime Minister and former Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

The program was attended by then Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal, then Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Anil Kumar Sinha, Commission's Commissioners Dr. Janaki Kumari Tuladhar and Sagun Shamsher Jabra, representatives of political parties represented in the Federal Parliament, high-ranking officials of the Nepal government, representatives of security agencies, election observers, election officers deployed in the elections, district election officers, polling officers, volunteers, and media personnel.