Biratnagar, May 23

Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav today stated that the second phase of local level elections would be held in all the remaining civic bodies, including the newly added ones, on the stipulated date of June 14.

Holding a press meet in Biratnagar today, CEC Yadav reiterated that the commission was preparing to hold elections of the new local levels added by the government yesterday on the same date, June 14.

“We will hold elections on the same date even if we have to work day and night. The commission can complete all the preparations within a week though there might be some hurdles in managing voters’ list, human resources and other logistics,” said Yadav.

He added that as Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had consulted the commission about creating new local levels for the sake of political consensus a few days ago, his office was capable of holding polls as per the prior schedule. “Adding a certain number of local levels is a political matter. However, our responsibility is to hold elections in those bodies and we are ready for it,” said Yadav.

He said the first phase of election was held in a peaceful and fair manner but vote counting was taking too much time. “Hence, the District Election Officers have been directed to complete counting for the second phase of election at the earliest,” Yadav said.

The government had declared Biratnagar and Birgunj metropolitan cities, besides adding 22 local levels in the Taraion Monday.

Meanwhile, the EC stated in Kathmandu that 12,563 representatives had been elected in 270 local levels until 5:00pm today. Out of 283 local levels, where elections were held on May 14, results of 270 local levels have been declared, the EC stated.