Polling have started in 36 municipalities around the country amid tight security

February 8, 2006
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A local resident submitting his vote at Koteshwor during the Municipal Elections being held countrywide, Wednesday, Feb 08 06. nepalnews.com/rr

Unlike previous elections, there was no crowd in the polling booths. There is heavy presence of security forces in many polling booths but only negligible number of voters were casting their votes.

There was no presence of voters in many polling booths of the capital.

Altogether 1.48 million voters are entitled to exercise their franchise in the elections to be held in 36 municipalities of 28 districts.

The government has made tight security arrangement for polling amid threats from Maoists to disrupt it and political parties’ call to actively boycott it. RNA and APF personnel are patrolling the streets.

People started casting their votes from 8:00 a.m. The voting will continue till 6:00 p. m. According to the Election Commission, the vote counting will start from Wednesday evening.

The government has declared Wednesday a public holiday in districts where municipalities are located and has banned the plying of vehicles in Kathmandu valley in the areas where polling stations are located.

Earlier, Home Minister Kamal Thapa said that security personnel have been given the authority to take toughest action against anybody trying to bar the voters from going to the polling stations or any action aimed at disrupting the elections.

When asked by media persons if the security men have been given the authority to shoot those trying to disrupt the polls, minister Thapa’s only reaction was, “Yes”.

This is the third local election being held following the restoration of multi-party democracy in 1990. The first and second local elections were conducted in 2049 BS and 2054 BS respectively.

The local elections were due to take place in 2059 BS but could not take place due to various reasons.

The EC made the provision of casting vote upon showing other identification documents such as citizenship certificates, land ownership certificates, Press Pass given by the Department of Information and ID cards issued by the offices if the people who do not have voter’s identity cards. This arrangement was made following the amendment in the Clause 34 of the Local Bodies (Election Procedures) Act, 2048 BS.

There are 40,000 polling booths throughout the country and 7,698 employees have been mobilised for the purpose, according to EC.

According to the EC, the polls will elect 34 mayors, 25 deputy-mayors, 197 Ward chairpersons, 291 Ward members and 71 women Ward members.

In some municipalities, candidates of mayors, deputy mayors, ward chairpersons, members and women members got elected unopposed. In some other municipalities where no candidates filed their candidacies the EC would unveil election programmes for these places after February 8.