POKHARA, Nov 12: A memorandum drawing the attention of the Election Commission was submitted calling for ensuring that people with psychosocial disabilities are represented or voted equally like other people in the general elections to be held on November 20.
In this regard, a team including Indraraj Subedi and Kalyanbandhu Wagle submitted the memorandum to Provincial Election Officer Homanath Parajuli here on Friday. The memo states that due to the discriminatory provisions in various election laws and guidelines, people with psychosocial disabilities are deprived of voting rights and the right to be candidates.
According to existing laws, rules, regulations and guidelines, people who are not in a proper state of mental condition are ineligible to participate in the election process, vote and stand as candidates, they said.
On the occasion, Subedi said that constitution of the country ensures social justice based on the principle of proportional inclusion and participation but the discriminatory laws deprive people of this condition from voting rights.
In response, Provincial Election Officer Parajuli stated that this matter which has been raised for a long time is important and said that he will take all possible measures to prevent the act of hurting someone's self-respect and depriving them of voting rights.