THE FIRST phase of Nepal’s first local-level election in two decades covering around one third of the total passed off largely peacefully, recording an enthusiastic turnout of 71 per cent. Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav said the election was peaceful with the enthusiasm of the people visible. “I appeal to all the political parties to accept the verdict without any reservation in true spirit of democracy,” Yadav said. He said voting was conducted in a free and fair manner. Ballot boxes from remote locations are being airlifted to the respective headquarters in some districts, he said. The voting began at 7 am in almost all the 18,438 polling centres and concluded at 5 pm. Altogether 4.9 million voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase of elections. There were reports of one person dying in police firing in Dolakha district, 120 km east of Kathmandu. Vote counting in Kathmandu and Lalitpur municipalities are expected to begin Sunday night while counting in other parts likely to begin Monday morning. The next phase of the election is due on June 14 as the political parties will be exploring the way to accommodate Madhes-based parties by addressing their demands through constitutional amendment in between. The first phase of the election covered 34 districts spread over three provinces while the second phase will cover 41 districts in four provinces. Exit polls indicated that the ruling Nepali Congress-Maoist alliance and the main opposition, Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist appeared headed for control two each of the four metropolitan for which the elections were held Sunday. With PTI inputs
