Pay Attention to Election Security

Our serious attention has been drawn on a series of bomb explosion incidents throughout the nation targeting candidates on the eve of Parliamentary and Provincial elections. Nepali Congress leader Gagan Thapa and his team was attacked with bomb in Kathmandu during canvassing voters. Similarly, in Kapilvastu, Ilam , Dhanusha including other districts, incident of bomb explosion targeting candidates were reported.

The Government of Nepal has claimed that it has mobilized all security body for the election security and has announced voters to participate the process without any fear. However, at present, the major challenge of the government is to ensure the security of candidate and voters. The question will be raised on credibility of election if the process is not operated in fearless environment. The security of election process means the security of candidate, ballot box, polling center and voters itself. The democracy will be strengthened only if the election is held in clean, fair and fearless environment.

Despite of so many incidents being public, no one taking responsibility and involved party being unknown is a serious security challenge. Those who were arrested in suspicion of being involved in explosion are also denying their involvement.

We would like to demand the Government of Nepal (GoN) to hold election in fearless environment, ensure the secured environment for voters and bring those guilt under legal boundary who are involved in candidate centered attack.

Subodh-English

Subodh Raj Pyakurel

Chairperson