Despite Media Lies, Nepal Polls a Great Success

February 13, 2006

franchise by voting for their favourite candidates. The mid-Terai municipalities

saw an impressive turnout of voters with the Gaur Municipality in Rautahat

district seeing a record 71 per cent voting, which is equal to the previous

elections held for both the local bodies and Parliament. It is interesting to

note here that Rautahat is the home district of General Secretary of Nepal

Communist Party (United Marxist-Leninist) Madhav Kumar Nepal who was elected to

the House of Representative twice in the past from the district. Likewise,

Malangwa in Sarlahi district, Siraha in Siraha district and Birgunj in Parsa

saw an encouraging voting. Even in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, where the seven

political parties demonstrated against the elections almost everyday, over

50,000 voters cast their votes, which comes as a shocking blow to the agitating

parties. Bhratapur of Chitwan and Lekhnath of Kaski districts were the only two

municipalities to see less than expected turnout of

the voters. The successful holding of the municipal elections has clearly hinted

that the seven political parties are not so popular as they often claim to be.

Otherwise, so many people who were regularly threatened both by the parties and

Maoists not to cast the votes would not go to the polling centres. While the

polling date was drawing nearer, the Maoists resorted to violent and

destructive means including a week-long bandh to disrupt the polls. Many

candidates were attacked mortally while several others were warned of dire

consequences if they took part in the polls. Despite all these barrages of

opposition erected to block polls, the government with its strong determination

and commitment to democratic norms and values had made it possible, for which it

surely deserves kudos. Now almost eight years after the municipalities have new

elected representatives to serve the local people, the newly elected local

leaders should work in favour of the people. Most the

mayors elected recently have expressed their firm commitments that they are

committed to work for the people and expedite the stalled development

activities in the municipalities. Of course, the people underwent several

problems in the past four years when the tenure of the elected local

representatives was terminated. Now with the successful holding of the

municipal elections the urban dwellers have overcome this problem. Hope the

government will soon come up with election programmes for VDCs.

ACCESS NEPAL'S ELECTION COMMISSION WEBSITE FOR DETAILS ON VOTE TOTALS Election

CommissionKantipath, Kathmandu, Nepal.Tel: (977-1) 4228663.Fax: (977-1)

4229227e-mail:election (AT) mos (DOT) com.np http://www.election-commission.org.np/

What are the most popular cars? Find out at Autos

Recommended Posts