The Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES) has said the second phase of elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies held in 45 districts across the country Thursday were successful and enthusiastic barring some sporadic incidents.
It was seen during observation that the elections were held peacefully except some incidents of bomb explosions and clashes, HURPES stated in a press release.
Society general secretary Uttam Pudasaini said that the preliminary report showed that although there was a sparse presence of voters in the polling centers in the hilly region toward the morning due to cold, the number of voters increased toward the afternoon.
"The Election Commission should pay its attention so that incidents in which voters seemed confused in finding their names at the polling center due to the change in the voter identity card number are not repeated in future, the voting centers are made more systematic and located at places convenient to all and made disabled-friendly and older people-friendly," Pudasaini said.
According to HURPES, the pro-violence anti-democracy group, the anti-national group that is trying to raise its head in the Madhes and the group opposed to the democratic republic were active in disturbing the election. It concluded that the more than 67 percent voter turnout despite the group carrying out incidents of explosion remaining active was unprecedented.
The HURPES press release also stated that the government itself seemed confused regarding looking at the group carrying out violence as nobody was assigned the portfolio of the Ministry of Home Affairs even during the elections and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba who had been looking after the Home Ministry portfolio remaining out of Kathmandu of late.
However, the role of the Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and the Nepal Army was commendable during the elections, HURPES stated, adding that the second phase election was successfully and enthusiastically concluded despite the violent activities including bomb explosions carried out before the election and the day of the election with the intention of intimidating the voters.
The role fulfilled by the Nepali people in making the election which is the backbone of democracy free, fair and successful as well as in adopting democracy and a part of their lives is unparalleled and exceptional. The vigorousness shown by the Election Commission to conducting the elections in a successful manner is also praise-worthy, HURPES said.
