All election processes postponed by Election Commission

KATHMANDU: The Election Commission has said that the pressure to take a decision on the Communist Party of Nepal for the elections has decreased after the Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate the House of Representatives.

Commission Spokesperson Raj Kumar Shrestha said that the time pressure on them to take a decision on the CPN dispute to get the party registration information for election purposes has been removed.

“There is a petition about the CPN dispute. The commission should take some decision on this,” Shrestha told Nepal Press, “Now that there is no need to issue information for party registration, the Commission has some time in this regard.” 

Stating that there is no pressure to take a decision today, Shrestha said, “The pressure of time like we have to do it today or tomorrow does not exist anymore.”

He said that the Commission would also take a decision on the petition received under Section 45. Shrestha said, “According to Article 45, some decision has to be taken on the petition regarding the official status of the CPN. This can be done.” 

Shrestha said that it is confirmed that the elections will not be held as the House of Representatives is re-established by the court and thus all election-related processes will be postponed from here.

“After the court reconstituted the House of Representatives, it has become clear that the election will not take place,” he said. “We don’t have to move forward from this point as there will not be any elections.” 

He said that there was no unusual or major expenditure for the purpose of elections. “We had released information on materials required for the elections. We have not made any expenditures,” Shrestha said. “Some amount has been sent to the districts for general vehicle maintenance, fuel and office solutions. This will be spent even if there is an election, it will be spent even if there is not.”

Shrestha said that nothing has been spent on anything other than general machinery maintenance, “Nothing has been done about the campaign materials, ballot papers and staffing.”