On 23 and 24 Bhadra, the Gen-G uprising took place in Nepal, shocking the world. The then government fell. The House of Representatives was dissolved two years before its term ended. A government has been formed under the leadership of former Chief Justice Sushila Karki with the responsibility of holding elections. The election to the House of Representatives has been announced for 21 Falgun.

The Election Commission has published the election schedule and is preparing accordingly. However, on the other hand, doubts are still being expressed about whether or not the election will be held. Rajesh Mishra's conversation with Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari for Kantipur on the preparations for the election:   The election that was supposed to be held in Mangsir 2084 is being held in Falgun 2082. How is the Commission's preparation for the election that is to be held two years later? The Constitution envisions the Commission to hold elections. The job of this organization is to hold elections under whatever circumstances they are announced. The job of the Commission is to hold elections. It must be done. This is the election that the government born from the rebellion is going to hold now. Periodic elections are held every five years. The Government of Nepal will fix the date for the periodic elections to be held during that period in consultation with the Election Commission. Now, the President has announced the election for the purpose of protecting the constitution. The Commission is busy with the necessary preparations for the election. The Commission has almost completed the necessary preparations for the election.

How has the commission determined the first, second or third priority in election preparations?

Election preparations include work before the election, during the election and after the election, up to the counting of votes and the announcement of results. Pre-preparation includes material management, guidelines to be made in accordance with the law and regulations, and the formulation of a code of conduct. Supervision of physical infrastructure, study and observation of polling stations and polling stations, and publication of the final list after completing the process of complaints against the collected names of voters are also included in pre-preparation. The most complicated issue among these is physical preparation. But this time it is not difficult. We have now adopted a policy of washing and painting even if we have old equipment. The preparations for that have been completed. The guidelines are also almost ready in accordance with the law and regulations. We are preparing to implement it.

After the materials and other contents of election management are complete, we move towards implementation. That is, the work of sending employees to the office of the election officer, polling stations and managing voting. Voters should be able to vote for their chosen candidate in a clean, fair and fearless environment. The issue of counting such votes and declaring the results will be the next phase. The Commission has almost completed the preparations for the first phase. Now we are entering the second process.

The election requires many types of materials. Have they been managed?

We use most of the materials already. Two/three materials have to be purchased from abroad. We are in the ‘tender’ process. Some of the materials purchased in the 2074 and 2079 elections will also be used in the current elections and will reach the upcoming local level elections. Ballot boxes and ballot paper are safe with us. We do not have to purchase them. Those are the most complicated, expensive and expensive materials. Apart from that, we give priority to the domestic market for other general materials.

Work has been done to make the election expenses economical. Last time, we identified 94 types of materials because it was the time of Covid. This time, not all the materials are needed like then. Now, we have identified 79 types of materials. We have also identified the materials that the Commission should purchase from the center and the materials that the respective polling stations and polling stations, i.e. the District Election and Provincial Election Offices, should purchase. It seems that more than 40 types of materials can be purchased locally. We will issue instructions on the framework of the procurement process at the local level and purchase them locally. The Commission will use other materials by giving priority to goods produced by domestic industries. The management of election expenses will be transparent and economical.

In previous elections, friendly countries used to extend their hands of support. What is the commitment of friendly countries this time?

The Election Commission does not directly seek support from foreign friendly countries and donor agencies. Such support will come through the government. Foreign friendly countries have shown good commitment. Some have extended their hands of support. Periodic elections are held every five years for many. There was not much interest in them. The current election is an election produced by the rebellion of Gen-G. The formation of the government was based on two issues - holding elections on the specified date and initiating good governance. Therefore, we should also hold elections anyway.

There have been protests and uprisings in various countries. Elections have been announced. But in some countries, elections have not been held on the scheduled date. That is why the eyes of the world are on whether elections will be held on the scheduled date in Nepal. The Election Commission is under test. On the other hand, the constitution is alive even after the uprising. For the purpose of maintaining good governance by activating all the articles and clauses of the constitution, elections should be held in any case. There is no alternative to that. The sentiment of our friendly countries is also that elections should be held in Nepal, the constitution should be alive, good governance should be maintained, and there should be no revolution or counter-revolution.

What kind of support is the Election Commission receiving from the government?

The government has received very good support. We have asked for whatever financial resources are required, and the government is ensuring it. Facilitation is being provided to resolve the problems we are facing. In addition, we are in dialogue with the government, ministers, Prime Minister, and President individually and collectively. They are also closely watching the work done by the Election Commission. The Election Commission is also giving results of its work, we are saying that we are capable and ready to hold elections. We are ready to hold elections on the announced date. We are saying that we are ready. There is no non-cooperation from any sector in the election, there is cooperation. We get everyone's cooperation, the election will happen. When you say, will the election be held on 21 Falgun?

No, it will, it has to be done. There is no other option. The Election Commission is determined for that. It is determined to hold the election. It will hold the election with integrity. It will hold a transparent election. The Election Commission is fully prepared.

How prepared do you find the government for the election?

The government is also equally ready. It is a government formed to hold the election. Its integrity is the election and the flow of good governance. The government cannot deviate from the integrity of holding the election.

The government is ready for the election. The Election Commission has already started preparing for it. Even when the playing field is ready, the team that will take to the field is the political parties. But they do not seem ready, do they?

The stakeholders of the election are the political parties, the political parties registered with the Election Commission. We have already published the election schedule. We have already published the election program. And for the purpose of participating in the elections, we have set the registration period for parties from 1 to 10 Mangsir. And, so far, many parties are registering with the Election Commission for the purpose of participating in the elections. The Commission believes that all political parties go to the people with their policies and manifestos. They test their policies and manifestos by reaching out to the people. All have registered their parties with the commitment that the people will like their manifestos and make them victorious and that they will maintain good governance in the country. In this way, the Commission does not believe that the political parties concerned should not participate in the election process.

Second, in every election held after 2048 BS, some parties have stayed out due to dissatisfaction. In the past too, some have stayed out with the purpose of disrupting the elections. That is not the case now. All organized groups and parties have come to register their parties with the Commission to register within the ambit of the law and contest the elections. Many parties have registered in that way. Even before coming to the conversation, I had approved two or four files, and the registration process is ongoing. All political parties should come to participate in the elections by the 10th. On the 11th, it will be known how many parties are ready to participate in the elections.

The second party in the dissolved House of Representatives, UML, has been raising the voice of restoring the parliament. Hasn't this complicated the election atmosphere?

When the commission called the representatives of the political parties for discussion or when they came to the commission and expressed their views, no party has announced that they will stay out of the election process. Instead, they have announced that they are committed to participating in the elections. Given this situation, we will not go into the matter of what is in which party now, what is the thinking of which party, what is what which party is doing. They are participating in the election process. We are confident that the election will take place.

What has the commission found in its interactions with the parties and party leaders?

I have found that they will all come to the election process. I have not met anyone who has said that they will stay out of the process. No one has even announced such a thing. Everyone has said that they will participate in the election. All parties are willing and able to participate in the election of members of the House of Representatives to be held on Falgun 21 and have said that they will participate. There is a situation where they have come to the Commission to register their parties by entering the process of the Election Commission.

There are doubts among political parties regarding peace and security. There was a clash in Simara, Bara. Such incidents have made it difficult for parties to go to the people with their programs. How does the Commission assure them about the peace and security situation?

The government is responsible for ensuring peace and security. It is within the jurisdiction of the Commission to issue instructions to provide peace and security here. The government minister has come to the Commission and expressed his commitment that we are capable of providing peace and security. We have also discussed the issue of peace and security by having the heads and representatives of all the bodies providing peace and security. There is a committee consisting of officials from all the security bodies, and in the discussion there, they have said that they are capable of providing peace and security. They have said that we will provide peace and security in any way. After the heads of the bodies providing peace and security, ministers and the Prime Minister have said so, we will not move forward with a question mark on peace and security. It is certain that the government maintains peace and security. Some sporadic incidents happen even before the elections. They should not be made a big issue.

All should be resolved through dialogue and coordination. For the purpose of dialogue and coordination, the old forces and the new forces should all sit together, there is no alternative to that. The Commission says that one cannot engage in politics of prohibition against the other. They should be allowed to compete openly in a clean environment. If politics of prohibition is engaged, the Commission will be harshly criticized.

How is the Election Commission working to coordinate between the old political forces and the new organizations of Gen-G?

After urging the new forces, who came in rebellion, to enter as parties, they have entered the Commission as various parties. After entering the Commission, the Commission must coordinate between the new and old forces. There is no alternative to that. We call registered parties. We call civil society leaders separately. We also call various distinguished personalities separately. We constantly discuss with everyone who is a stakeholder in the election.

The Gen-Gs who have formed organizations in various places or taken to the streets will become an organized force only by competing in elections. They will be able to enter the governance system and establish good governance only after winning. The big demand of Gen-G is to change the old system and establish good governance and control corruption. The commission tells them – enter the election process, enter the ruling power after being elected and become a part of the ruling power. Only then can that work be done. Those works cannot be done by staying outside the election process.

The old political parties, which have already come to power as big parties. They have already run the government by understanding all its contents and actions and interactions. There is no room for doubt that that party will now suddenly stay outside the election process.

During the protest on 24 Bhadra, many police stations were attacked. Arson was committed. Vehicles were burned. Weapons were looted. Police were beaten. Murdered. Humiliated. Prisoners escaped. Is there any doubt about the security of the election when the morale of the police has declined in this way?

Naturally, yes. But now, an alternative arrangement has been made. According to the Prime Minister, we have brought back most of the weapons. The Prime Minister has announced in front of 129 parties at Singha Durbar that all the looted weapons will be returned. After the election process has progressed, the election should not be kept amidst doubts and suspicions. I urge political parties that have doubts about security not to have such doubts. Go with complete confidence. Go for open competition. The Commission is ready to conduct elections with integrity. The Commission conducts clean, independent, impartial, fearless, honest and economical elections.

The case against the dissolution of the House of Representatives is pending in the Supreme Court. In the past, when the Commission was preparing for the elections, the Parliament (House of Representatives) was revived by the court and the elections were stopped. Doesn't such a situation affect the preparations being made by the Commission?

If you look at history, such things have happened. This has been happening since 2051. There has been a process of dissolving the House of Representatives or the Parliament and announcing the elections, and the other side reaching the court. This is a historical point. However, in the past, the dissolution of parliament has been done in accordance with the articles and clauses of the constitution. The current dissolution is not like that. The parliament was dissolved as a result of a rebellion and elections were announced. This issue is clear from the President's statement of 27 Bhadra. However, it has been heard that this issue has reached the court. However, in the past, after the dissolution of parliament, the leader of the opposition party led the court to restore the parliament by taking an institutional decision. This time, it has not been seen so far. Leading legal practitioners of the society have entered the court in the capacity of PIL. They have only settled on 'so cause'. Therefore, we accept whatever decision is made by the court. If the parliament is restored, we will keep the materials we purchased safe. The same will be used in the periodic elections to be held in 2084. However, I will leave the court matter to the court. There is a case in the court, there is no point in staying silent without preparing for what will happen. The Commission is preparing for the election in a comprehensive manner.

As the Election Commissioner, you have experience in conducting the 2079 local level, House of Representatives, Provincial Assembly and subsequent by-elections. You are currently the Acting Chief Election Commissioner. The post of Chief Commissioner is vacant. How easy or difficult is this situation for you?

The Commission did not prepare for the current election by thinking ahead. It is an emergency election. But the Commission is a constitutional body formed for the purpose of conducting elections. Therefore, the Commission is ready to conduct elections that are announced in any situation.

On the other hand, the Commission is an institution. It makes institutional decisions. Issues such as being the Chief, Commissioner or not having someone do not matter. What matters is how faithfully the leadership has worked. I am currently leading the Commission in an acting capacity. Positional issues such as full Chief or Acting or Deputy Chief do not matter to me. It is an institutional decision. Elections are held with integrity. As long as I remain in charge, I will work with dedication and in a transparent manner.

The government also has its own methods and procedures. Various issues including the Constitutional Council may need to be addressed. Whether the government can do it or not, it is up to the government. I have heard that the ordinance has just been moved forward. For what purpose it was moved forward, that is a matter for the government. It is not a matter that I am interested in and concerned about. As long as I remain in office, I will continue to hold elections. If I am not there, another team will come and hold elections. However, issues like chief, deputy chief and assistant chief do not mean anything to me.

The issue of giving voting rights to Nepali citizens living abroad has been in the news since the last government was formed. Where has the preparation for that reached?

The government has drafted some amendments to the law to address this issue. We were also asked for advice. It has been sent. The Policy Research Institute is also studying it. For this, the government should provide us with five elements - resources, means, power, methods and technology. As soon as the government provides these elements, the commission will use them. The commission is ready to use them. The government had to determine the process and provide them.

On election day, a large number of voters within the country are not able to reach their polling stations. Are there any efforts being made to arrange voting from their place of residence?

The current law does not provide for the facility of inter-constituency voting. The law itself prevents it. However, advice and discussions are being held on the issue of inter-constituency voting. We are consulting with experts. We are in the process of addressing this as much as possible.

How do you convince political parties and voters that the elections will be fair, free and fearless?

It is a method of demonstrating by using it, not by saying it in words. I am a person who has traveled the country as a coordinator for the purpose of enforcing the 2079 BS election code of conduct. I have experience with various tactics on how elections can be conducted with integrity. Let us not communicate about those tactics through the media. However, we are students who have passed the exam on the issue of elections being conducted in a completely clean, fair, fearless and peaceful environment.

Even when incidents of code of conduct violations occur during elections, it seems that the Commission does not take action and does not take such activities under control. A candidate can get a boost by spending more than the limit, using money and muscle, right?

Look at the elections since 2048, the code of conduct has been brought in with restrictions. In 2079, we banned all election campaign materials. We have limited items such as pamphlets, posters, rallies, seminars, lockets, hats, etc. That has also reduced election expenses. Therefore, it is not possible if the code of conduct is not implemented. It will be tightened.

People also suspect that the election on 21 Falgun will be postponed. Is there any possibility of changing the election schedule?

There is no such possibility. If the election schedule is changed and amended, it will affect the election on 21 Falgun. Therefore, we will not change the schedule. The election will be held on the scheduled date. The election process has already moved forward. There is no other option but to vote. Since there is no other option but elections to keep this constitution alive and ensure good governance, all stakeholders, voters, political party leaders, social leaders, and youth should participate in the elections and make them successful. The government is ready to hold elections. It is committed. The commission is committed to holding elections with integrity. Stakeholders are ready to participate in the elections. That is why no one should have doubts about the elections.