Nawalparasi, April 28

The government’s decision to hold local elections in two phases has caused a flurry of doubts in Nawalparasi, a district torn between two provinces, due to lack of clarity on the provincial boundary.

As per the government decision, the polls in province 1, 2, 5 and 7 will take place in the second phase. With the latest changes, the eastern part of the district from Daunne comes under Province 4, while the rest of the district figures in Province 5.

The line along which the district has been split into two provinces is not clear though. District Election Office said it is yet to set up election offices in some municipalities and rural municipalities due to the boundary-related confusion.

The recent decision of the government to hold the upcoming polls in two phases has added to the confusion as people are also not sure whether the election in their concerned local bodies will be held in the first or second phase. “The confusion has to do with the fact that there is no clear mention of the boundary of a few rural municipalities and municipalities. This has led to the uncertainty on whether a particular local body falls in this or that province,” explained Nawalparasi DEO Chief Ayodhya Prasad Bhandari. He further demanded that the political parties do the needful to resolve the issue.