Polling in the first phase of federal and provincial assembly elections has started in 32 districts from seven Sunday morning. Those who get into the queue for voting by five in the evening will be allowed to vote, according to the Election Commission (EC).
A total of 282 candidates are fighting in 37 federal constituencies and 420 candidates in 74 provincial constituencies in the first past the post (FPTP) system. A total of 50,000 staffers, apart from the security persons, have been deployed for the elections, according to the EC.
Similarly, around 10,000 international and domestic observers have been deployed in the first phase of election to ensure free and fair election. The EC has given permission to a total of 56 organizations including four international ones for election observation.
The EC has said the voters can vote by producing their citizenship certificate or any identity card with photograph issued by the government if they don't have voter identity cards. The EC has directed the polling officers to give priority to people with disabilities, pregnant women, elderly, and sick voters to cast vote.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav have urged the voters to exercise their franchise without fear and inhibitions assuring that adequate security arrangements have been made.
The 32 districts going for voting today include mountainous and hilly districts in all provinces except Province 2 that is an all-plain province. The 32 districts going for voting today are Solukhumbu, Sankhuwasabha, Bhojpur, Okhaldhunga, Taplejung, Panchthar and Khotang of Province 1; Nuwakot, Dhading, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha and Ramechhap of Province 3; Mustang, Myagdi, Baglung, Manang, Lamjung, and Gorkha of Province 4; Rolpa and Eastern Rukum of Province 5; Western Rukum, Jajarkot, Humla, Mugu, Jumla, Kalikot and Dolpa of Province 6; and Darchula, Bajhang, Bajura and Baitadi of Province 7.
The ballot boxes will be collected at the respective district headquarters in the evening where it will be kept under three-tier security for 11 days. Counting will start together across the country after voting in the second phase scheduled for December 7.
