• EC says the polls held last year made all three tiers of government operational

Kathmandu, March 6 The Election Commission submitted its annual report (2017-18) to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari amid a function organised in Shital Niwas today. Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav, accompanied by EC commissioners, had handed over the annual report to the president in accordance with Article 294 of the constitution. The report includes the details of works performed by the EC during the fiscal 2017-18. A press released issued by the EC said Chief Election Commissioner Yadav appraised President Bhandari of the major tasks executed by the election body in the past one year. The report has described the fiscal 2017-18 as the year of elections. The election body had conducted the presidential and vice-presidential elections, local level polls in Province 2, elections to the House of Representatives, provincial assemblies and National Assembly and polls of all 77 district coordination committees during the period. Yadav said although the EC generally required a period of at least 120 days for making necessary arrangements for elections, the local level polls were conducted in just 82 days. He also informed that the dates of House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly elections were set with the support of all stakeholders. According to the EC, as many as 38,500 representatives were elected through the polls that brought all three levels of the government into operation. “With the completion of the elections, federalism entered the era of its implementation and paved the path for country’s prosperity,” the release stated. Upon receipt the annual report, President Bhandari informed EC officials that she would send it to the Federal Parliament through the prime minister. She also thanked the EC for holding the elections of all levels within the stipulated time.