RAUTAHAT, September 18: While voter turnout was massive and peaceful in Rautahat district, the challenge now seems to be the security of the ballot papers. In view of what happened in the Bharatpur mayoral election during which some party representatives tore up ballot papers while they were being couinted, the vote counting center in Rautahat is being secured with barbed wire in the windows.
The mayoral election in Bharatpur Metropolitan City saw the vote counting being brought to a halt after some ballot papers in ward no. 19 were deliberately torm. The matter was finally settled after the Supreme Court ordered a re-election in the ward. The two party cadres arrested for tearing the ballots were released after a week.
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According to the Election Commission, the election in Rautahat has taken place in a very peaceful manner with an over 80 percent voter turnout. The people were very eager to vote and did so in a disciplined manner.
“The people have voted. Now it is our duty to keep the ballots safe and secure,” said Kirtiraj Subedi, assistant district election officer. “In niew of the sensitivity of the matter, the counting center has been secured with barbed wire,” he added.
The vote counting center and the spot meant for seating the booth representatives will be separated by barbed wire, Subedi also said.
The booth representatives cannot touch the ballot papers. However, they can record the vote count from a distance.
“The Election Commission has taken precautions so as not to let the Bharatpur incident repeat itself. The counting center will have three layers of security,” Chief District Officer Uddab Bahadur Thapa told Republica. The votes will be counted at the office of Rautahat District Coordination Committee.
