Now, election logistics to come in truckloads

KATHMANDU, SEP 02 -
The government’s failure to repair the runway of the only international airport in time has forced authorities to import some crucial election-related logistics, such as ballot-printing papers, overland.

According to sources at the Election Commission, though this last-minute change has not significantly affected the election schedule, there are some risks involved in the overland transportation in view of the poll-opposing forces active in different parts of the country.

Five wide-body cargo planes were scheduled to land at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) with around 500 tonnes of logistics from New Delhi in a week. However, the plan had to be changed with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) imposing a 196-tonne load ceiling for aircraft landing at the TIA. The load ceiling, to be in place until the start of the dry season in September, was brought into effect following the recent monsoon-induced damages to the runway.

The cargo-planes were cancelled after CAAN refused to relax the restriction for the planes carrying the election materials.

As part of its commitment to support Nepal’s election, UNDP-Nepal, on behalf of all donors, has purchased the papers from a Dubai-based company for the Constituent Assembly election scheduled for November 19.

“Importing ballot printing papers in planes is not possible, and as such, we have opted for plan-B which means we will use trucks to bring in the paper,” a senior official at the EC told the Post. “The EC has already given its consent to the UNDP to this effect,” the official added.

EC sources said the papers will be imported within 10 days, while the over 3 million ballot papers will likely be printed within a month. As per the laws, the EC must supply the ballot papers to all polling stations one month ahead of the election.

EC gives President three days to amend electoral laws

The Election Commission on Sunday urged President Ram Baran Yadav to amend the constitution and electoral laws in accordance with the latest agreements signed between the High-level Political Committee and poll-opposing parties. In a regular meeting between President Yadav and EC officials at his official residence in Sheetal Niwas, Chief Election Commissioner Neel Kantha Uprety requested the head of state to take a lead in removing the legal hurdles.

The Interim constitution and several electoral laws need to be amended after the cross-party mechanism agreed to increase the number of CA seats to 585 from the earlier 491 and the ratio of the first-past-the-post and proportional representative election systems to 42:58.  “Following the election calendar will be difficult if the law amendment process is not wrapped up within three days,” Uprety reportedly told the President.

In the meeting, election commission ers also stressed the need to bring all political parties on board the election process within three days. “Otherwise, we have to move ahead as per the agreements reached so far and the number of parties registered with the EC so far,” said Uprety.

Labels: News