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By-elections for six vacant CA seats today; EC urges for free and fair elections

By-elections for six vacant seats in the Constituent Assembly are taking place on Friday, exactly one year after the CA elections.

The Election Commission has urged all voters to vote for their selected candidate without fear, threat and pressure. Security has been beefed up in and around the constituencies where the elections are taking place. Nepal-India border has been sealed during elections in Dhanusha and Kanchanpur.

Voting started at 8 am and will end at 5 pm in all six constituencies, as per the timetable published by the EC.

139 candidates representing six different political parties and as independent candidates are contesting in six constituencies of five districts. The elections are taking place in Morang 5 and 7, Dhanusha 5, Kaski 1, Kanchanpur 4 and Rolpa 2.

The EC has made the citizenship certificate mandatory for voting in this election, to prevent identity theft while voting. Voters will vote through an Electronic Voting Machine in all six constituencies.

Some 2450 civil servants have been deployed in various 490 polling centres of the six constituencies for the polls.

698 observers representing four international and three national organisations are observing the elections.

Five of the six seats fell vacant after candidates winning from two constituencies withdrew from one. Another seat fell vacant after Dr Ram Baran Yadav-elected CA member of Dhanusha 5-got elected as president.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Maoist leader Dev Prasad Gurung, NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Upendra Yadav and Bijaya Gachchhadar of
Madheshi Janadhikar Forum had been elected from two constituencies.

EC has said the results of the polls could be announced by Sunday. nepalnews.com Apr 10 09