The CPN faction of Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli has urged the Election Commission to not halt election process.
Leaders of the faction reached the Election Commission on Wednesday and also staked claims for official recognition as CPN and the party's election symbol sun. "We have written answers to the questions asked by the Election Commission. We have claimed that the party that has the first chairman and general secretary is official," standing committee member from the faction Subash Chandra Nembang told Setopati. "We have in the meanwhile urged the Election Commission to not halt election programs."
CPN General Secretary and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Energy Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and others accompanied Nembang to the Election Commission.
The faction of Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal had reached the Election Commission office in Kantipath on Monday and urged it to not move the election process forward until the Supreme Court (SC) gives its verdict on the House dissolution.
"We have said the Election Commission should work on the basis of fairness and neutrality," leader from the faction Krishna Bhakta Pokharel had told Setopati. "We have said that election-related works should be halted until the SC verdict arrives as the House has been dissolved despite no constitutional provision allowing so."
The Election Commission, however, had rejected the request. Urging the leaders to not doubt their impartiality, the Election Commission officials said they will move the process forward when the government has already announced election date. They clarified that election-related works will not be halted unless the SC orders to stop it.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the House of Representatives (HoR) on December 20 on recommendation of PM Oli and announces that the next election will be held in two stages in April-May 2021.
The first phase of polling will be held on April 30 and the second phase on May 10.
The SC is currently hearing petitions filed challenging constitutionality of the House dissolution.
