Kathmandu, July 20:

Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel today said that the government is not listening to suggestions given by the Election Commission (EC).

Speaking at the end of the consultation meeting with the government secretaries on the draft Constituent Assembly Member Election Code of Conduct, he said, “Six months ago, we had urged the government to fill vacant positions in the EC. We again reminded the government of the vacancies two months ago. There would not have been a problem if the government had listened to us,” Pokhrel said, responding to questions raised by secretaries on the draft Code of Conduct.

Enforcement of the Code of Conduct means the government cannot fill vacant positions. It may be noted that posts of some Village Development Committee (VDC) secretaries and government secretaries have been vacant for long. Besides, the government has not yet appointed 13 ambassadors.

The secretaries expressed concern about the clauses in the Code of Conduct that bar the government from appointing officials and transferring employees. Stating that the EC has taken the constituent assembly elections as a prominent part of the peace process, Pokhrel said, “The draft Code of Conduct will be finalised soon.”