Kathmandu, February 15

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal told Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Yadav that the government was committed to announcing civic poll dates by February 19.

Talking to THT, Yadav said he told the prime minister that the EC would need final report of the Local Bodies Restructuring Commission on the day the government would announce civic poll dates. Yadav said the PM assured him that the government would give the final LBRC report before announcing poll dates. Yadav also told the PM that the government should provide budget and human resources required for elections. “The PM assured me that the government would provide the EC all resources required for the elections,” Yadav added.

Meanwhile, addressing a gathering in Panchthar district, the PM said the three major parties — the  Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and the CPN-Maoist Centre — agreed today to  go for civic polls, according to  a press release issued by the PM’s  Secretariat. The PM said, “Local polls will be held soon. I urge you all to take part in  this process,” he said.

UML leader Bishnu Paudel said the PM told the three-party meeting that the government would announce  poll dates and at the same time, it would also proceed with process to revise the constitution amendment bill after discussing the matter with the  UDMF. The UDMF has been saying that local polls should be held only after passing a revised constitution amendment bill.