Kathmandu, April 4

The Election Commission today said ballot papers needed for local level elections slated for May 14 had been printed for 60 districts.

The poll panel said it had sent the design of ballot papers of five more districts to Janak Education Materials Centre tasked with printing ballot papers.

It is estimated that up to 16 million ballot papers are needed for the local level polls.

The JEMC has been printing ballot papers under security cover of the Nepali Army.

“We will complete printing of ballot papers within two weeks,” said Election Commissioner Narendra Dahal.

The commission has also started printing voter lists and voter identity cards.  The printing is being done in the EC building at Kantipath under tight Armed Police Force security, Spokesperson for EC Surya Prasad Sharma told THT.

Meanwhile, the EC started voter education training throughout the country today. Inaugurating the voter education training in Kathmandu, EC Secretary Gopinath Mainali urged all to make the local polls successful.

The commission said as many as 21,000 voters, who would get two-day training, would be mobilised in the

campaign launched to make people aware about the importance of voting and techniques of voting.

“Volunteers or social mobilisers will reach every household with voter education kits,” said Spokesperson of EC Surya Prasad Sharma.

He said volunteers would also distribute voting invites among voters.

According to Sharma, a volunteer, who can be a teacher, female community health volunteer or a social worker, will provide voter education to about 1,000 voters. The EC said each volunteer would get Rs 15,225 as encouragement allowance.