Govt withdraws proposal to shut district election offices

KATHMANDU: The government has reversed its decision to close down district offices of the Election Commission.

Speaking in the meeting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Minister for Finance Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat said that the government would withdraw its proposal.

Through the budget for the fiscal year 2023/24, the government had proposed to close the district election offices and establish an election unit within the respective district administration offices as part of its cost-cutting measures. The proposal had dran criticism from all quarters.

After lawmakers disrupted the House proceedings for nearly 15 minutes on Tuesday to oppose the decision, the government decided to reconsider its proposal.

“We proposed to shut strict election offices as we believed they would have no significant role in the next five years. However, after engaging in discussions with relevant stakeholders, we have decided to continue the existing arrangement,” stated Dr Mahat. “The government is committed to strengthening and enhancing the effectiveness of the district election offices. They will function according to the preferences of the Election Commission.”

Dr Mahat further emphasized that the government would not compromise on any aspect that undermines the independence of the Election Commission.