EC to provide insurance cover to civil servants

January 2, 2006
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Chief Election Commissioner Keshav Raj Rajbhandari (File Photo)

Chief Election Commissioner Keshav Raj Rajbhandari (File Photo)
Amid threats of “physical action” by the CPN (Maoist) against anyone who supports or takes part in the election process, the Election Commission (EC) has said it has made provisions for insurance of civil servants who will be assigned for the local elections slated for February 8, this year.

During a meeting with Secretaries to various ministries on Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner Keshav Raj Rajbhandari said that gazetted officers will be insured for a premium of Rs 700,000 while the non-gazetted employees will be insured at Rs 500,000.

The insurance amount for the gazetted officers and non-gazetted employees assigned at polling stations in the previous local election was Rs 500,000 and Rs 300,000 respectively, according to reports.

There has been no comment from the side of the civil servants’ associations regarding latest announcement by the EC.

Not only Maoists, the seven-party opposition alliance has also announced boycotting of municipal level polls saying that it is part of an exercise to prolong the direct rule of the king.

Officials, however, say the municipal polls are a democratic exercise and will help efforts to return to democracy in the country.

Saying that almost all the preparations necessary for holding the forthcoming elections have been completed, Chief Commissioner Rajbhandari said that commitment has been expressed from the government’s side to make arrangement for employees and transport vehicles necessary during the election.

Chief Secretary, Lok Man Singh Karki, said the government is committed to provide cooperation as much as possible towards creating an environment where every voter could cast his/her vote without any fear.

He said civil servants and the security forces will work in a coordinated manner during the elections, official news agency RSS report added.