Kathmandu, March 21

The Election Commission has asked India and China to provide election paraphernalia needed for local level polls soon.

The election body, which had already written formal letters to the authorities concerned of the northern and southern neighbours for their assistance, said it had been following up on the same.  EC’s Information Officer Surya Prasad Aryal said the EC would start delivery of electoral materials once it got them from the neighbouring countries.

According to Aryal, the EC has sought indelible ink to be used on voters’ fingers and several vehicles from India and different types of stationery and curtains to be used in polling stations from the Chinese government. The commission said a Nepali contractor would also import 30,000 large-size ballot boxes from China.

Meanwhile, the EC said 47 district election offices have finalised polling centres. EC’s Spokesperson Surya Prasad Sharma said all those districts had also sent reports to the EC’s central office after finalising polling centres.

“We have directed the remaining districts to finalise the polling centres as soon as possible,” said Sharma. The EC had directed its district offices to finalise polling stations by March 23.

Sharma said most of the polling stations would be in schools and health facilities that were used in previous polls held in 2013.

Earlier, the EC had directed its district offices to report on condition of schools and health facilities that were used as polling stations in the previous local as well as Constituent Assembly elections. Most of the health facilities and schools in the 14 earthquake-hit districts were destroyed in 2015.

The EC said polls could be held in makeshift schools and health facilities in those districts.