EC to return Rs 3 billion unused election funds to state coffers

Kathmandu / Feb 3: The Election Commission (EC) has said that of the total amount allocated for holding the elections to the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies, around Rs 3 billion will be sent back to the state coffers.

During a press briefing in regard with the review of the November 20 elections, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said the EC was much aware about the austerity measures the country has adopted and maintaining transparency in the election expenditures. CEC Thapaliya said around Rs 6.54 billion was spent to hold the November 20 elections, last year.

The government had allocated Rs 10 billion for the elections. Out of the allocated amount, the EC had received Rs 8.49 billion. CEC Thapaliya said some of the remaining funds will be used in the elections of the President, Vice-President and the NA member by-elections and the remaining amount will be returned to state coffers.

He took time to pledge legal amendments for providing temporary voting cards to government and private sector employees to guarantee their election rights at least in the proportional electoral system within the centers accessible for them in the next periodic elections. He was of the opinion of legally defining the matter of implementing the electronic voting system.

CEC Thapaliya also assured that the EC would assess the nature of invalid votes and the situation behind it and make voter education more effective in the days to come. He said if the date of elections of all levels or the term of the people’s representatives are clearly specified in the law, there would be no questions in announcing the election dates. RSS