KATHMANDU, AUGUST 21
Ballot papers for the November 20 parliamentary and provincial elections will include only the election symbols taken by poll candidates as opposed to the May 13 local elections in which ballot papers comprised election symbols taken by all parties and independent candidates registered with the EC for elections.
The EC was criticised for printing ballot papers for May 13 local elections that were too large and which eventually led to a large number of invalid votes.
According to EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Paudel, to meet the new criterion, the EC will have to print 503 types of ballot papers - 165 for federal first-past-the-post constituencies, 330 for provincial FPTP constituencies, seven for candidates contesting under proportional representation for seven provinces, and one for federal PR candidates.
The Election Commission said arrangements will be made for providing four ballot papers - one for federal FPTP candidates, one for provincial FPTP candidates, one for provincial PR candidates, and one for federal PR candidates - at each polling centre. Each polling centre will have four corresponding polling booths and four ballot boxes.
The EC will also make voting arrangements for employees and security personnel deputed on election duty, jail inmates, and voters of oldage homes.
The EC estimates that Rs 10 billion will be needed to conduct November 20 elections. It has sent the estimation to the Ministry of Finance for its approval.
The EC estimates that a workforce of around two lakh will be needed to conduct the November 20 elections.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 22, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.