Political parties unaware of election education center

KATHMANDU, July 21: Although slogans are raised for election of the second Constituent Assembly (CA), main stakeholders are unaware of the election education and information that educates the voters for their participation with more valid votes.



Statistics has shown that necessary concern of the political parties, sister organizations and civil society has not reached the Election Education and Information Centre of Nepal situated just in front of the Election Commission, which is the second most modern in information and technology point of view after Australia. [break]



So, in one year after establishment of the centre last June, some ten thousand have observed it and most of them were students.



The presence of the political parties, leaders, workers and civil society, the main stakeholders of election is nominal.



No effective participation of the political parties is seen even if the Centre had written to the political parties for observation five months ago, said Center´s Director Komal Prasad Dhamala.



The students´ number is more than 90 percent, but that of the leaders and workers and general public is quite low, he said, adding, although community school students are written for observation frequently, they did not come, most of them who visit are from private schools.



If leaders and cadres took information, it would help increase participation of voters and there is less possibility of invalid votes.The parties registered in the EC so far are 139.



However, the Rastriya Janashakti Party led by Surya Bahadur Thapa and Rastriya Janamorcha´s Chitra Bahadur KC have visited the centre.



The centre has historical and archeological materials on election at home and abroad, and documentary depicting various movements in various times for democracy are screened.



It also depicts election system and provides practical knowledge on sample voting, said a trainer Mamata Shrestha. Another trainer Pramila Koirala said now daily 40 people in each two groups have been taking information on it.



In the first CA election, out of the 17.6 million voters, 65 percent votes were cast and 5.l5 per cent was invalid in direct election and in proportional, 3.66 per cent was invalid.

Lately, armed police, CDOs, judicial service staff and some NGOs are taking training in the centre.Of them, deaf people are more interested in the process, Koirala said.

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