Local bodies’ support sought to update electoral rolls

Kathmandu, November 4

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has directed Kathmandu Metropolitan City, and all district development committees, sub-metropolitan cities and municipalities to extend necessary cooperation to the National Election Commission with regard to relation to the operation and implementation of the Programme for Collecting and Updating Electoral Rolls (including claim and objection) and Criteria of Expenditure, 2016.

The MoFALD issued a directive to this effect today in response to letter dated October 27. According to the EC, it had approved the programme on October 6 for the purpose of developing final electoral rolls by updating details of eligible voters, and entertaining claims and objections.

If any voter considers that the name of any person cannot be included on the electoral rolls, such voter may file an application objecting thereto, accompanied by the reasons thereof.

The enrolment officers may remove the name of such person from the electoral rolls after making inquiry into the matter. After completing the process of making claim, objection and holding inquires and making changes, enrolment officers prepare the final electoral rolls of the concerned constituency and publish the same within the time prescribed by the EC.

The EC has not prepared final electoral rolls by fulfilling the requirement of entertaining claim and objection since the second Constituent Assembly polls held in 2014.

The provision of civic polls stipulated in the Constitution of Nepal and the government’s preparation to hold the elections in the near future prompted the EC to update the electoral rolls by correcting any error in the name or details of any voter.