Kathmandu, August 18

The Election Commission today directed the government to give a week-long holiday for schools and educational institutions, where polling centres would be set up for third phase of local level elections, from September 12.

The third phase of local level elections is taking place on September 18 in 136 local levels of Province 2. A meeting of EC office bearers headed by Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav today issued a 17-point directive to the government. It asked the government to renovate compound walls of schools if they were damaged by the recent floods.

The EC also directed the government to make employees available as per its demand, provide updated details of employees and teachers serving in Province 2 within a week to district election offices and direct all concerned agencies to follow the election code of conduct.

Meanwhile, the election body also issued a four-point directive to the Ministry of Home Affairs, asking the latter to prohibit protesters from carrying batons, spears, khukuris, rifles, pistols and other home-made weapons during election campaigning, according to a press statement issued by EC Spokesperson Surya Prasad Sharma. The EC also urged people to hand over their firearms to concerned district administration offices for safekeeping until the third phase of local level polls.

It also asked the ministry to prohibit carrying of explosives, chemicals and poisonous substances and impose a ban on production and sale of liquor as it could affect holding of local level polls in a free and fair manner. The EC also directed security agencies to keep a vigil on activities of suspicious people, who could obstruct the elections.