Kathmandu, October 25

The Election Commission will decide tomorrow whether or not Rishi Ram Kattel-led Nepal Communist Party’s argument that the ruling communist party’s name ‘Nepal Communist Party (NCP)’ clashes with the name of Kattel-led NCP, according to EC Spokesperson Deepak Subedi.

The EC had conducted a hearing yesterday to hear the arguments of  both the parties — Kattel led-Nepal Communist Party and KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

Kattel had lodged a complaint against the ruling NCP (NCP), saying its party statute stated that the party would be known in brief as N.C.P. and since the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) also mimicked the same name, it would be wrong on the EC’s part to allow the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) to have that name.

A high level source at the EC said that the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) had argued that its NCP was in bracket and there was space between all three alphabets which was different from the Kattel-led Nepal Communist Party’s short name as there were dots between all three alphabets.

The source said that there were eight communist parties registered with the EC which had different words in brackets but Kattel objected to the name  ‘Nepal Communist Party (NCP)’, saying this name  mimicked his party’s short name N.C.P.

The EC source said the polls panel wanted the two parties to find a negotiated settlement in next few days and if they failed to do so, it would take a decision next week.  “Chances are high that we will rule that our previous decision to grant the ruling party the name of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) is valid and if the two parties still clash over the names, they will probably go to the court to settle the issue,” the source added, “Our decision will at least pave the way for them to go to the court.”