Kathmandu, April 24

The Election Commission today unveiled the calendar of the second phase of elections, scheduled to be held on June 14.

As per the new poll schedule, candidates have to file their nomination on June 2 at the office of the chief returning officer or returning officer from 10:00am to 5:00pm in Provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7.

The EC will publish names of candidate after 5:30pm the same day. People can file complaints against the candidates from 10:00am to 1:00pm on June 3 in the same offices. The names of the candidates will be published on June 3.

The poll panel said candidates could withdraw their candidacy by 5:00pm on June 3. The EC will publish final names of candidates on June 4 and will provide election symbols on the same day.

The EC said voting of the second phase elections will start at 7:00am and end at 5:00pm on June 14.

The commission has also modified schedule of the first phase of elections.

As per the new schedule unveiled by the EC, nomination of candidates will start on May 2 in Provinces 3, 4 and 6. The EC will publish the names of the candidates at 5:30pm on the same day.

People can file complaints against candidates on May 3 from 10:00am to 1:00pm. The EC will examine the complaints on the same day and publish names on May 4. Candidates can withdraw their names until 5:00pm on May 4 and the EC will publish the final name list of candidates on May 5.

The EC said vote counting would start immediately after rural municipalities or municipalities get all ballot boxes of their respective wards from the polling officers.

Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav today said the government had decided to hold polls in two phases at a time when the poll panel was in the final phase of preparation.

Addressing a press meet, CEC Yadav said additional challenges had emerged after the government decided to hold polls in two phases. He said the EC had decided to keep ballot papers, voter identity cards and voter rolls in the offices of chief returning officers under Nepali Army’s security cover.

He said the EC could not update voter lists, change voters’ addresses or voter rolls even for the second phase of polls. He said the EC would announce code of conduct for the second phase of elections soon.

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