NHRC teams start monitoring polls

Kathmandu, November 25

The National Human Rights Commission has deployed its monitors in all 32 districts where the first phase of parliamentary and provincial elections are taking place tomorrow.

A press release issued by the national human rights body said it would monitor the elections from the human rights perspective.

Monitoring teams led by officer-level employees have already reached 27 districts except a few ones of the high Himalayan region, where the first phase of provincial and parliamentary elections are taking place tomorrow.

The rights body will monitor human rights situation in three phases — before, during and after the elections.

According to the release, the NHRC will monitor the situation of voter education and citizens’ awareness, possible violation of human rights by political parties and overall security situation.

The NHRC teams will also monitor use of children by political parties in their election campaigns and whether or not proper arrangements have been made for all voters, including differently-abled people, minorities and senior citizens, to cast their vote in a free and fearless manner. Parties have often been found to be using children in their political activities, including election campaigns.

The rights body said that it would also monitor poll code violations by parties as well as their candidates and the overall security situation in the districts.

NHRC has already oriented its officials at central, regional and sub-regional offices to monitor elections.

Meanwhile, it has urged the political parties and other stakeholders to respect human rights by participating in the elections in a peaceful manner.

It has also urged voters to exercise their voting rights without fear to make the elections a success.

The NHRC also said that its attention had been drawn to the arrest of journalists in various districts. It also expressed serious concern about attacks on candidates and explosions at different places across the country intended at creating terror ahead of the elections.

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