INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, JUNE 28Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya has said
that intensive discussions are necessary between the political parties and the sides concerned on the issue of participation of the Nepali
voters abroad in the election process.
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Addressing a programme organized by the Election Commission and the International
Organisation for Migration here today, the Chief Election Commissioner insisted that the topic of not depriving of voting right the Nepali
citizen living in a place other than where he/she is enlisted in the voter list and those who are enlisted in the voter list but living
abroad is an matter of global concern.He stressed on the need of making legal and managerial arrangements on the basis of the existing
constitutional system and of international and legal practices as well.
Secretary of the Election Commission, Rabi Lal
Pantha said that migration is a citizen's right as well as in some cases a necessity, reiterating that the Commission was serious on the
issue of not depriving the Nepalis living abroad of their voting rights.According to him, it was found in the last election that the voter
turnout in several districts and constituencies was less than 50 percent, which is probably due to the problem of outmigration.The programme
will come up with suggestions and recommendations following deliberations among related experts, representatives of various political
parties and the stakeholders.The Election Commission and the government have been taking initiatives for implementing the Supreme Court's
order directing to make legal arrangements allowing the Nepalis living abroad to cast their votes in the election
The Supreme Court had, in March 2018, issued such order in the name of the Election Commission and the government.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com