Nepal: Polls yes, but situation must improve

Our attention has been drawn towards a straight forward statement made by the chief election commissioner in front of the leaders of practically all the major political parties urging them all not to hasten to declare the polls for the upcoming constituent assembly polls.

While making such a blunt statement the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr. Bhoj Raj Pokhrel-a congress nominee for the post-must have said so considering all the pros and cons involved in the conduct of the polls, yet his official statement some what appears to be hinting at the fact that the EC under his command could not in any way conduct the polls in the slated date of June 20-a date already shifted by six days by the eight party conglomerate in the recent past.

Analyzing the straight manner what Commissioner Pokharel said, what else more could be said of him is that it is not only Mr. Pokhrel but his entire officials, including the rest of the Commissioners, appear confident that the polls can’t be held on time come what may.

The plausible reasons he EC captain has forwarded to add strength to his saying are, for example, the lack of security in the country more so in the country side; the absence of certain laws governing the conduct of the polls, and more so the talk that the existing constituencies will be expanded plus the time consuming job in collecting the names of the eligible voters and etc.

Talking of the security situation, no sane man (save lunatic ones) could dare to say that the country’s overall security situation was an assuring one. Instead, the situation as it stands today is a frightening if not a terrible one. So what Mr. Pokhrel indirectly wants to say the government authorities is that they must first ensure a secured atmosphere wherein the people can go to the polling stations and cast their votes completely in a free and fearless manner. Its corollary would be that if the present day security situation prolonged and the dates for the polls are declared in haste then under the shadow of unsecured environment people will not come to cast their votes which would, he said, only be a mockery of the CA polls. In saying so the EC captain has amply hinted that his commission was ready to conduct the polls but only when they are provided with enough time, a secured environment for the voters. This does also mean that the EC knows well as to what sort of security environment prevailed in places other than Kathmandu. More so, by implication he also wants to indicate all, more specifically, the Maoists, that the security situation is not all favorable for the conduct of the elections as demanded by the parties now in power.

What was most interesting of it all that the EC captain the other day in a strong manner told the government not to make any sort of haste in the declaration of the polls without consulting the EC or for that matter the UN body. This meant that the EC wanted from the government that prior to the declaration of the dates for the CA polls, the EC-the main in charge for the conduct of the polls-must be taken into confidence. This would apparently mean that the EC would pass its straight no to the government unilateral declaration of the polls in case the EC were not consulted in advance.
Who else better knows that the EC as where the problems lay and what has got to be done prior to rushing to the polls. Chances are that the EC captain might be thrown to the category of the “friend of the regressive element” by some of the enthusiastic parties. However, the fact is that what the EC chief has said is hundred percent correct. The people demand first and foremost a secured environment; restoration of peace that ensures the safety and the well being of the voters, and finally they wish to go to the polls wherein they can cast their votes in a fearless atmosphere.
However, Prachanda-the ferocious-Saturday afternoon thundered that bids were afoot in order to postpone the elections and that what he grasped from his meeting with Ian Martin-a long time chum of the Maoists turned foe apparently-too were unfortunate. In effect Martin is supposed to have told Prachanda that the elections if held on the slated time would mean a mockery of the entire system of the electoral procedures. Prachanda have had predictably hard time with Martin-the UN General Secretary’s “private servant” ordered to look into the peace process of Nepal.
Nevertheless, the EC Chief’s implied message that the polls can’t be held on slated time is some what ambiguous. The EC must have told frankly that these were the hurdles in the way that would impede the conduct of the elections on time. But then yet, the message is clear. What he wants or wanted to say the intellectuals of this country have got his point.

Should this mean that the CA polls can’t be held on June 20 as has been suggested by the government of the eight party dictatorial regimes. Should this again mean that the EC wants to shift the election dates for a comfortable period in order to ensure all the elements that the EC considered to be of prime import prior to the conduct of the elections?

Nevertheless, Martin, the chief of the election commission and more so Deuba have all been saying that elections could not be held on time. This is mysterious indeed. May some more would talk on the same line. But then yet the EC captain’s voice must not have come all of a sudden. There have been apparently clandestine bids to postpone the election. But who would wish such a postponement? And for what? It is these underneath questions that must have irritated Prachanda. Be sure and take it for granted: Our comrade is not a child who could be played down by offering a chocolate. He knows some thing indeed. But what? He should say if he knew it well. Or else his declaration would be just like what he said of the conspiracies being hatched by some Palace men to murder some of the Kathmandu based US diplomats.

Even then kudos Mr. Pokharel! You have spoken the truth! The people are with you.

Polls yes! Polls no if security situation is bad as it stands today. Let Prachanda talk to his SPA leaders and decide what have got to be done under such circumstances when the EC captain himself says so.

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