KATHMANDU, Nov 28: The government appears to be softening its stance on the location limits set for political leaders including CPN-UML Chairman and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli as well as other key government officials.
Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Thursday called UML leaders to Baluwatar, urging their support for upcoming elections. UML leaders, however, argued that elections could not be conducted by imposing location restrictions.
After considering UML leaders’ concerns, the government reportedly indicated it may adopt a more flexible stance. “The election environment will be created. The government is ready to ensure smooth elections. This administration exists solely to conduct elections and carry out routine work. Therefore, UML must participate and cooperate,” a source quoted Prime Minister Karki as saying.
The discussions included UML General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel, Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Gyawali, and leader Mahesh Bartaula, while Minister for Communication and Information Technology Jagdish Kharel represented the government. Prime Minister Karki has been working to improve ties with UML through dialogue, aiming to foster a conducive environment for elections. The government provided indirect responses to serious concerns raised by UML leaders. “The government is serious about creating an election-friendly environment. Since assurances were given, there was no need to revisit the location limit issue,” a source close to Baluwatar said.
Nepal requests India to lift restrictions imposed on the export...
A probe commission formed to investigate excesses during the Gen-Z movement had previously set location limits for then Prime Minister Oli, which UML had strongly opposed. While the government did not issue a direct response, there are indications that issues such as location limits and blacklists may be eased to ensure a smooth election environment.
“We questioned why location limits were imposed on UML Chairman KP Oli. Media trials had taken place and it was clear that elections could not proceed simply by restricting a leader of such massive public support. Yet, we received no response. Elections cannot be held by restricting the leader of such a large party,” Bartaula said.
He added that, as the formation of the current government is under legal scrutiny, it must be resolved through judicial processes, and UML is ready to abide by court decisions. “The Prime Minister called UML for discussions, spoke about elections, and requested their cooperation. We emphasized that constitutional review regarding the government’s formation must be completed first to ensure a credible, free, and fair election environment. We also raised concerns about the absence of a fear-free and secure voting environment,” he said.
During the talks, UML leaders also voiced concerns over the location limits imposed on outgoing IGP Chandra Kuber Khapung, which they said affected the security apparatus, as well as issues related to escaped prisoners and looted weapons. “We said that UML, as a party that seeks to engage with the public, should not merely be appealed to for elections; the environment itself must be conducive,” they added.
From the government side, Kharel said UML has committed to staying aligned with public mandate. “The Prime Minister thanked UML for registering with the Election Commission and assured that elections will be conducted fairly and fearlessly,” he said.
The discussion reflected the shared understanding that a proper environment must be created to hold elections, with UML not acting as an obstacle. Kharel added that concerns about UML’s participation in elections have now been allayed. “The talks focused on ensuring conditions for all parties to participate. UML did not label this government as illegal; they only referenced ongoing legal processes in the courts. We also refrained from discussing the government’s legality since it is under judicial consideration,” he said.
“Today’s discussion centered entirely on the election process, with all parties prioritizing timely elections. About 90 percent of the talk revolved around how to hold elections on schedule, and it is clear that most parties want to participate,” he added.
Following the commission led by former Justice Gauri Bahadur Karki, which investigated the Gen-Z movement and imposed location limits on UML Chairman Oli, the party’s 11th General Convention, originally planned in Pokhara, will now be held in Kathmandu. Due to the location limits, Chairman Oli has also opted not to visit his electoral constituency in Jhapa.
