EC seeks details of arms collected by DAOs

Kathmandu, March 22

The Election Commission today asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide details of legal and illegal weapons collected by the district administration offices across the country.

“We have directed the MoHA to provide details of legal and illegal weapons collected by all DAOs,” said EC’s Spokesperson Surya Prasad Sharma. He said the commission had also directed the government to prevent its ministers and bureaucrats from participating in the seminars within the country or abroad in view of the upcoming local level election.

Earlier, the EC had issued a four-point directive to the MoHA, urging it to keep licensed arms in the custody of district administration offices or police until local level polls slated for May 14.

As per the EC’s instruction, all the district administration offices across the country had appealed to licence holders to submit their arms, both small and large, for safekeeping to the nearest police units.

The DAOs across the country have issued firearms licence to around 10,000 persons for the security of their lives and property, according to the MoHA.

The commission had also asked the ministry to prohibit carrying of explosives, chemicals and poisonous substances. It also asked the ministry to ban production and sale of liquor as it could affect holding of local polls in a free and fair manner.

Similarly, the DAO has prohibited any person other than security personnel from carrying and using explosives, toxic substances, batons, spears, khukuris, rifles, pistols and other weapons. The commission had also asked security forces to take miscreants under control if needed.