KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bimalendra Nidhi said the government was eager to announce dates of local elections.

Speaking at a meeting of the State Affairs Committee in Singhadarbar today, DPM Nidhi said the government would take major political forces into confidence for the same.

Meanwhile, Nidhi requested the House panel to endorse three election-related bills, which are currently under discussion at the SAC. He said the government would immediately announce dates for local, provincial and federal elections after formulating the laws.

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Ila Sharma expressed her dissatisfaction that the government changed some key provisions of the draft laws.

She was particularly concerned with the prerogative to announce the poll dates, which the government refused to give to the constitutional body.

SAC members and lawmakers Ganga Lal Tuladhar, Yubaraj Gyawali, Gopal Man Shrestha, Prem Suwal, Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, Ram Krishna Yadav, Shila Thapa, Shyam Prasad Dhakal, Bishal Bhattarai, Rekha Sharma, Lokmani Dhakal, Rameshwor Phuyal and Rabindra Pratap Shah among others had expressed their opinions about the laws in the meeting today.