EC is serious on ensuring voting rights of Nepalis living abroad: CEC Thapaliya

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya has said that intensive discussions are necessary between the political parties and the sides concerned on the issue of participation of the Nepali voters abroad in the election process.

Addressing a program organized by the Election Commission and the International Organization for Migration here today, the Chief Election Commissioner insisted that the topic of not depriving of voting right the Nepali citizen living in a place other than where he/she is enlisted in the voter list and those who are enlisted in the voter list but living abroad is an matter of global concern.

He stressed on the need of making legal and managerial arrangements on the basis of the existing constitutional system and of international and legal practices as well.

Secretary of the Election Commission, Rabi Lal Pantha said that migration is a citizen's right as well as in some cases a necessity, reiterating that the Commission was serious on the issue of not depriving the Nepalis living abroad of their voting rights.

According to him, it was found in the last election that the voter turnout in several districts and constituencies was less than 50 percent, which is probably due to the problem of outmigration.

The program will come up with suggestions and recommendations following deliberations among related experts, representatives of various political parties and the stakeholders.

The Election Commission and the government have been taking initiatives for implementing the Supreme Court's order directing to make legal arrangements allowing the Nepalis living abroad to cast their votes in the election. The Supreme Court had, in March 2018, issued such an order in the name of the Election Commission and the government.