KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 11
More than 15 million ballot papers have so far been printed for the first-past-the-post (FPTP) category of the House of Representatives (HoR) elections scheduled for March 5.
According to the Election Commission (EC), the ballots cover 175 constituencies across 53 districts.
The EC stated that the printed ballot papers are intended for districts including Dolpa, Mugu, Jumla, Kalikot, Humla, Jajarkot, Dailekh, Rukum West, Salyan, Surkhet, Bajura, Achham, Bajhang, Doti, Dadeldhura, Darchula, Baitadi, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Panchthar, Ilam, Tehrathum, Bhojpur, Okhaldhunga, Sunsari, Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu, Khotang, Dhankuta, Baglung, Gulmi, Jhapa, Gorkha, Myagdi, Parbat, Bardghat Susta East (Nawalparasi), Morang, Udaypur, Mustang, Lamjung, Syangja, and Bardiya, among others.
The printed ballots have already been packed into 13,321 boxes. Printing has continued uninterrupted since the morning of January 30. At present, around 1,000 boxes are packed daily, while daily printing ranges between 1.3 million and 1.5 million ballot papers.
The EC estimates that more than 20 million ballot papers-20,323,000 in total-are required for the HoR direct elections. Printing has been underway at the Janak Education Materials Centre in Sanothimi since January 6. In the first phase, over one million sample ballots (1,098,200 in total) were printed and distributed to various districts.
Meanwhile, under the proportional representation system, more than 20 million ballot papers-20,830,000 in total-have already been printed, packed, and verified, and are now ready for dispatch.