Kathmandu, April 7:

The National Election Monitoring Alliance (NEMA) today condemned the Maoists for obstructing free movement of election observers and attacking them.

The NEMA drew the attention of the Election Commission over the issue and said Maoist cadres had been preventing election observers from conducting their duties in several districts.

Issuing a press release, NEMA’s coordinator Subodh Raj Pyakurel called the EC to control such activities. “The Maoist cadres have been issuing threats against the NEMA representatives,” the statement said, adding that NEMA Regional Coordinator Gyan Bahadur Khadka is undergoing treatment in Ramechhap after Maoists attacked him.

“The Maoists attacked NEMA representative in Khotang district Fadiram Timalsena and barred its two representatives in Dang district from going for election observation,” the statement said.

“The Maoists cadres have been threatening people and are violating the election code of conduct,” the statement adds.

Citing its 10-day study report, NEMA said the Maoists had been intimidating people to vote for them.