Time has come for the government to be serious in holding the third phase of local polls in Province 2 scheduled for September 18 and the other two tiers of elections - provincial and parliamentary - by January 21, 2018.

If it fails to complete these tasks on time, the nation will plunge into political and constitutional crisis. The new constitution says that all kinds of elections should be held before January 21. Looking at the ongoing political scenario, it is a tough job for the Deuba led government. When there was ample time to implement these tasks, all the previous governments and the major political parties were busy in power struggle for the sake of their own political gains. Now,  time is running out from their hands and the government and the major political parties seem  panicking now talking about holding the provincial and parliamentary elections together “Hold provincial, parliamentary polls together, PM tells EC” (THT, August 8, Page 1).

In the meantime, the EC has advised the government to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the upcoming two tiers of elections. It is yet be decided by the government whether to go for EVMs or continue using ballot papers. It was also good to know that the EC has reminded the PM to incorporate the provision of ‘None of the above’ (NOTA) in the election related bills.

The Supreme Court (SC) had already instructed the government to incorporate NOTA in the election related bills. This provision will provide the voters to use their rights to reject the party or the candidates. It was also interesting to know that the EC had recommended the PM to grant EC power to do the needful to ensure voting rights of Nepalis living abroad. By holding the two tiers of elections together, the state will save elections related expenditures and ensure the meeting of the constitutional deadline to hold all the elections by January 21, 2018. Accordingly, the EC has asked the government to announce the date for holding provincial and parliamentary elections on or before August 17 so that it will have enough time for its preparations.

Rai Biren Bangdel, Maharajgunj

Sickle-cell test

This is with reference to the news story “Sickle-cell test at Seti-Zonal Hospital halted” (THT, August 9, Page 6). The people, particularly the Tharus who have been suffering from the disease, have been deprived of the sickle-cell test due to unavailability of a chemical required for the test. The hospital staffers have requested the higher authorities to procure the chemical but to no avail. The chemical went out of stock two months ago. The patients who need their sickle-cell tested are returning empty handed after the hospital ran out of the chemical. The concerned authorities should immediately supply the chemical required for the test. Sickle-cell is an inherited disease with abnormal hemoglobin. A person suffering from sickle-cell disease cannot supply oxygen in the body properly. It has been found that most people in the Tharu community are suffering from the sickle-cell disease, and they need government’s help to get cure from the disease.

Ram Tharu, Dhangadhi