लेखक: democracyresource.org

On June 28, 2017, more than 6.4 million voters were called upon to participate in the second phase of Nepal’s local polls, electing more than 15,000 local representatives in 334 local units across Provinces 1, 5, and 7. According to the Election Commission of Nepal voter turnout was 73.69 percent, similar to the May 14 first phase elections. Polling was postponed until September 18 in Province 2 after the government could not reach an agreement with agitating Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN).

असार १४ मा हुने भनिएको दोस्रो चरणको स्थानीय तह निर्वाचनको तयारी र प्रचार–प्रसारमा तीव्रता आएसँगै प्रदेश १, २, ५ र ७ मा निर्वाचनसम्बन्धी घटनामा उल्लेख्य वृद्धि देखियो । वैशाख २९ देखि जेठ ७ बीच १९ घटनाका तुलनामा जेठ ९ र २८ को अवधिमा नेपाल मनिटरको तथ्याङ्कअनुसार यी प्रदेशहरुमा ४६ घटना घटे । उता प्रदेश ३, ४ र ६ मा निर्वाचनसम्बन्धी घटनाहरुमा कमी आउने सिलसिला जारी
रहयो ।

This preliminary statement outlines findings from DRCN’s observation of the local political and elections-related dynamics…

पहिलो चरणको स्थानीय तहको निर्वाचन वैशाख ३१ मा सम्पन्न भएसँगै सम्पूर्ण देशको ध्यान मतगणनातिरद्द केन्द्रित भएपछि निर्वाचनसम्बन्धी घटनामा निकै कमी आयो । नेपाल मोनिटरको तथ्याङ्कअनुसार जेठ १–७ को अवधिमा निर्वाचनसम्बन्धी १३ घटना घटे जबकी वैशाख २९–३१ को तीन दिनको अवधिमा ८१ घटना भए ।

पहिलो चरणको चुनाव वैशाख ३१ मा नजिकिदै जाँदा राजनीतिक दलहरुले आ–आफ्ना चुनावी गतिविधि बढाउन थालेपछिको यस अवधिमा प्रदेश ३, ४ र ६ मा निर्वाचनसम्बन्धी घटना उल्लेखनीय रुपमा बढ्यो। वैशाख ९ देखि २७ को अवधिमा नेपाल मोनिटरले सङ्कलन गरेको तथ्याङ्कअनुसार प्रदेश ३, ४ र ६ मा ५६ घटना घटे।

After the Madheshi Morcha1 withdrew its support from the government2 on March 15, Morcha cadres intensified protests across the Tarai while demanding that the constitution be amended before local elections.3 From April 1-21, 51 incidents related to the local-elections and local-level-restructuring were reported across Nepal.

On May 11 midnight began the silence period for the first phase of local election in Nepal. 4,556,525 registered voters were called upon to elect candidates for 13,556 positions in 283 local bodies of 34 districts in province 3, 4, and 6 on May 14, 2017. According to the Election Commission voter turnout stood at 71 percent of registered voters. Despite various incidents, some involving deadly violence, both the Election Commission of Nepal and National Human Rights Commission in the evening of May 14 concluded that the first phase of election had been relatively peaceful.

This pre-election statement focuses on a few key findings identified by observers since May 1. A more comprehensive preliminary statement of observer findings will be released after the elections, and a final observation report will be released at the completion of observation.