'Budget only after constitution amendment, elections'
KATHMANDU, April 29: At a time when the government is preparing to hold local level polls in two phases apparently to appease the agitating parties, the agitating Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSNF) led by Upendra Yadav has asked the government to defer the poll date and hold it in a single phase across the country.
Issuing a press statement on Friday, FSFN Chairman Upendra Yadav asked the government to review its decision to hold the local level poll in two phases.
The FSFN has argued that the election must be held in a single phase as the result of the first phase election will influence the result of the second phase. The party also said that holding elections in two phases will also divide the public psyche across the country.
A cabinet meeting held on April 23 had decided to hold the polls on May 14 and June 14 as per the agreement reached with the top leaders of various agitating Madhes-based parties. While the elections in provinces 3, 4 and 6 will be held in the first phase, elections in provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7 will be held in the second phase.
Hold polls in single phase, withdraw NA mobilization: FSFN
"It would be appropriate to defer the election dates and hold the elections in a single phase. Therefore we express our serious reservations over the existing election program," stated FSFN Chairman Yadav, while also maintaining that the authority to hold the local elections should lie with the provincial government concerned.
In the press statement, the FSFN has also said that the party's attention has been drawn toward the government decision to deploy army personnel also for poll security. "Mobilization of a 'professional institution' like Nepal Army, which has its own sense of pride and dignity since many years, in domestic affairs in the name of elections could undermine its professionalism," the press statement further said.
Meanwhile, FSFN has demanded that annual budget should be brought only after the completion of the local level elections and the constitution amendment process.
