Nepal: Opposition opposes decision to hold two-phase polls

 The Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist- Leninist (CPN-UML) has expressed its concerns and objections over the government's decision to hold local polls in two phases.

The main opposition has decried the ruling alliance's decision to hold the election in two phases - the first on May 14 and the second on June 14 - with budgetary announcement in mid of the gap claiming the government will try to lure the voters.

As per the Nepal Constitution, there is a provision of announcing the budget for the coming fiscal year on the mid of Jestha (May 29 this year).

"Budget will be announced on 14th of Jestha (29th May, 2017). The budget will be announced 15 days after the first phase and it will take two weeks for the second so they can run campaigns highlighting the budgetary features and then go for the elections. Their objective is full of conspiracy, rigged, against the political ethics so this thing is not acceptable," former prime minister and CPN-UML chairman KP Sharma Oli said in the parliamentary party meeting.

The government on the other hand is preparing to table a new revised Amendment Bill in the Parliament on 24 April.

-ANI