District election offices will not be dissolved, FinMin Mahat assures parliament

Kathmandu / June 27: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has clarified that the independent existence of the district election offices will continue.

Clarifying the issues raised by lawmakers of the opposition parties in the first meeting of the House of Representatives today, Finance Minister Mahat said the government would not deviate from the thinking that the general public should participate in elections in a free and fearless manner.

“We will not allow the undermining of the independence of the Election Commission. It is our resolve,” he shared.

The finance minister further said initiatives would be taken to make the district election offices more independent and effective and reiterated that these offices would not be dissolved.

Earlier, lawmakers of the CPN-UML and Rastriya Swatantra Party protested against the proposal of bringing the district election office under the Office of the Chief District Officer. The meeting was postponed for 15 minutes following the protest.

Finance Minister Mahat expressed commitment that the government would make all efforts to clear all doubts as they are committed to the independent existence of the Election Commission.

He said although a conclusion was drawn to dissolve some of the offices for financial austerity, the word ‘dissolving’ of District Election Office was inadvertently included in the budget statement.