Top EC officials, including Chief Election Commissioner Neel Kantha Uprety, informed Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi of its stance on the issue during a meeting at the prime minister´s residence in Baluwatar on Sunday morning. [break]
“We have been studying ways to remove legal, technical and administrative difficulties so as to be able to provide additional time for voter registration,” Uprety told Republica.
Asked if there is still a possibility of a window period for voter registration, the chief election commissioner stated that they are still reviewing the situation. “The probability is fifty-fifty,” he added.
The High Level Political Committee (HLPC) on Friday had formally requested the constitutional body to provide additional time for unregistered voters to register on the electoral roll.
Uprety said they also enquired the chairman of the Interim Election Council if such a request was made to the government as well.
In response, Regmi told EC officials that the government has also received such requests. Various political parties have demanded that the EC provide additional time for eligible voters to register on the electoral roll.
However, EC officials have been stating that it would be a difficult task to provide more time as the calendar of events and program for proportional representation and first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral systems have already come into force.
EC has registered 12.3 million voters with photo and biometrics. The commission had scrapped voter registration process on July 15.
Implement code of conduct strictly
Meanwhile, EC officials have urged the chairman of Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi to strictly implement the election code of conduct.
“We told the chairman (Regmi) that ministries should monitor implementation of the code of conduct,” Uprety said. He said EC would not be able to accomplish major tasks if it is also burdened with minor complaints.
In the meeting with the chairman of Interim Election Council, EC officials also briefed about the preparations made by the commission for the November polls.
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