Kathmandu, October 26

CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal today said the Parliament would automatically be reinstated if the upcoming provincial and parliamentary elections were postponed.

Speaking at the launch of ‘Aadhunik Nepal Ko Itihas’, a critical book on history written by Laxman Panta, he said the Supreme Court’s  recent order on ballot papers indicated that conspiracies were being hatched to postpone the upcoming elections.

“The Parliament was dissolved only for holding the elections although its tenure would have lasted till January 21,” he said.  He said the government could not postpone the elections as the list of candidates under proportional representation and the first-past-the-post electoral systems had already been submitted.

The Supreme Court yesterday ordered the office bearers of the Election Commission and the Prime Minister’s Office to furnish a written reply on the progress made so far on types of ballot papers. “Though printed in a single paper, there are two separate ballot papers”, he added. Dahal also said that a single ballot paper for provincial and parliamentary first-past-the-post elections was as per an all-party agreement. “Postponement of the elections on any pretext will not be accepted,” Dahal said.

CPN-UML Secretary Pradeep Gyawali said the parties were suspicious about the activities of the Supreme Court and the government. “The dispute over ballot paper is unnecessary and just a ploy to foil the elections,” Gyawali added

Commenting on the book, Dahal congratulated author Panta for critically evaluating historical events. He also suggested Panta to start writing a book on events that took place after King Tribhuwan’s regime.

UML Secretary Gyawali praised Panta, saying the book offered a new perspective on modern Nepal’s history. The 548-page book reviews historic events in Nepal from 1743 AD to 1955 AD.