Election well managed: Observing bodies

Former Chief Election Commissioner Bhojraj Pokharel viewed that the recently held parliamentary elections had given the feeling that the election had entered next stage of the strengthening of democracy.

The elections to the House of Representatives and Province Assembly were held at once on November 20.

At a programme organized here Wednesday to unveil the preliminary report of various organizations involved in observation and monitoring of the general election, former Chief Election Commissioner Pokharel opined that the culture of election was being institutionalized among political parties and the candidate hopefuls. "The electoral process has turned into maturity. We want it to move in the direction where there would be no need for observation of the election in the future," he observed.

The preliminary report was prepared by the General Election Observation Committee (GEOC), National Election Observation Committee (NEOC) and the ACCN Network for Free Election (ANFREL).

Over 7,000 observers, national and international, were selected to observe the election. Additionally, representatives of 18 foreign diplomatic missions in Nepal had also monitored the election on the voting day, according to the Election Commission of Nepal.

Chairperson of NEOC, Prof Kapil Shrestha, shared that the voters seemed mature while political parties and candidates seemed to be aware and committed to adhere to election code of conduct in this election. He remarked, "The result of the election has been surprising, amusing and educational. The election management by the Election Commission appears effective."

Likewise, GEOC's General-Secretary Krishna Man Pradhan assessed that the election was generally held in a free, fair and peaceful manner. He commented, "We have taken this election satisfactorily and positively. The election would contribute to strengthen democratic system and make it further capable and dynamic."

According to ANFREL, various aspects of election management, such as election security, enabling election environment, participatory polling centres, voters education and vote counting among others had given a glimpse of a free and fair election.

The observers, as analyzed in the report, found the behaviours of political parties, candidates and voters were more patient, calm and cooperative this time compared to the past. The observers had used a rapid-reporting system to send real-time findings. The preliminary report is based on the reports received from the trained 1,053 short-term observers and 77 long-term observers from all districts in the country who had monitored the election process from set-up through closing, the NEOC informed.