Biratnagar, June 30:

Stakeholders in eastern Tarai have said that the demands of ignored groups should be addressed for holding the constituent assembly polls in a free and fair manner. Voters in this region, who are feeling insecure for a long time, have also demanded that the security situation be made better for the CA polls.

Morang district secretary of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF) Jayaram Yadav said today that it would be difficult to hold the CA polls in the region until the demands of ignored communities are addressed.

“We could have a free and fair CA election after the government addresses the demands of Madhesi, Dalits, women, janajatis, indigenous and other communities,” Yadav added.

Jhapa-based business entrepreneur Govinda Dulal said the demands raised during the Madhes agitation should be addressed for holding the CA polls in a free and peaceful atmosphere. Maoist assistant district secretary Amin said that a fair poll would not be possible if the activities of criminal groups are not controlled.

CPN- UML Sunsari district secretary Dharma Niraula and Nepali Congress (NC) district secretary Rajiv Koirala demanded that the government maintain law and order for the polls. They added that the government should address the demands raised by various groups in Madhes.

“I will not vote in the CA polls until the government solves problems by holding talks with the agitating Madhesi organisations,” Rajan Niraula of Inaruwa said.

Sunsari CDO Prem Narayan Sharma said that it would be difficult to hold the election until

the “confusion” in some southern VDCs of the district is cleared.

Acting officer of the Saptari district election office Kameshwor Shah said: “Nothing related to the polls has been done except taking the data of government staffers and teachers.”

Saptari CDO Himnath Dawadi said that criminal activities are on the rise though the police administration was active.

DIGP of eastern regional police Rabindra Pratap Shah said: “More than five dozen police posts need to be re-established in the eastern region at the earliest. When the time comes to strengthen the security situation, the police administration will actively work for this,” he said.

DIGP Thakur Mohan Shrestha of the Armed Police Force (APF) at Pakali in Sunsari said APF personnel have been deployed in all districts of the eastern region for the CA polls.

Jhapa CDO Jay Mukund Khanal said that there was no obstruction in holding the CA polls in the district. Chief of the Jhapa district election office Indra Kumari Thapaliya said that the updates of the voters’ list and booths have been completed. Chief of the Sunsari district election office Prem Luitel also said that the voters’ list has been updated.

Jhapa-based NC leader Gopal Bimali said that he was confident that the CA polls would be

held smoothly.

However, Maya Yogi, a housewife at Budhabare-7 in Jhapa, said she did not have any information of the CA polls.