Daily Report Published date 27 June 2017

The election commission has finalized all the preparation for the second phase of local level election and urged voters to cast their vote without any fear. In context of second phase of election, ballot papers and boxes are sent to the respective polling centers, staffs are mobilized, security has been tightened and voter's ID cards have been distributed. The election commission has said that tents and other precautions have been taken with the view of protecting the polling centers from rainfall. A long waited second phase of election is starting from tomorrow. The political parties have stopped their election campaign after the beginning of silent period from the mid night of June 25. In tomorrow's election, 65,32,765 voters will use their voting rights. Through this election, 62,000 candidates are in the field for 15,038 posts.

Province Number 1

The election dissemination and campaign by the political parties have stopped after the beginning of the silent period however; the candidates have continued their political meeting by going door-to-door. On June 27, in many places, the activities such as putting explosives in the houses of the candidates continued to terrorize locals. The transportation in road section of Ilam highway was obstructed after the cadres of NCP have set fire on two vehicles. According to the Jhapa district representative Arjun Basnet, in Damak municipalities, a team of army has disposed the abandoned bomb near the house of Maoist candidate. Another bomb was disposed in the same municipality-2. The bomb was planted in order to terrorize locals in the even of election. According to local, the bomb was planted in the house of Gagan Puri, Maoist candidate for mayor. Similarly, another bomb was recovered infront of the gate of Himalaya High School at same municipality-2.

Meanwhile, the election commission said that all the preparation for the election has been finalized. The officer of the election officer Gopal Acharya , all preparation has been made for the election on June 28. According to Ilam district Representative Kokila Dhakal, the cadres and sister wings of Nepal Communist Party have vandalized and set fire on two vehicles in Mechi highway after the beginning of silent period. A person said to be the coordinator of National Volunteer beureo, a sister wing of NCP through a phone took the responsibility of the vandelization. The vehicles were damaged in the incident according to DSP Mahendra Kumar Shrestha. After the incident, the vehicle activities were obstructed whole day.

According to Shekhar Dhakal of Sunsari, the District Election Office, Office of the chief election officer and District Administration Office through a joint press meet in Inaruwa publicized that all the preparation of election has been concluded in the district. Sunsari district is too sensitive district in whole

Secretariat Citizen's Campaign for Clean Election (CCCE)

Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) Tel.: 5218770 Fax: 015218251; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.cleanelection.org

province number 1 in security point of view and the security has been tightened according to CDO Gopal Prasad Parajuli. A team of Nepal army has disposed explosives in two different places in Dharan sub-metropolis-15 on June 27. This incident has terrorized the locals. The political parties have not operated their campaign publicly however seeking votes by going to the door of voters continues in the district. The political parties have still not removed party's flags and banners. The local administration has restricted however it is not fully implemented. Meanwhile, Padam Sanjel,44 a ward member candidate of CPN UML at Itahari sub-metropolis was attacked by NC cadres on the night of June 26. According to Dhankuta district representative Santosh Ruchal, there was two different explosions in on June 26 after the beginning of silent period. An unidentified people have exploded bomb at Sanguri Village council and Dhankuta Municipality according to police.

According to SP Sudeep Raj Bhandari of DPO, at about 8 PM, there was a big explosion in a road section at Sangurigadhi Village council-6. Similarly, another bomb was exploded near the polling center at Salleri in Dhakuta Municipality. According to Terathum district representative Bhagishwor Limbu, the political prties in the district were found to be following election code of conduct by obeying the silent period. However, the candidates have given continuity on personnaly meeting with voters. Meanwhile, two bombs were recovered near the polling stations in laligurans municipality-5 on June 27. One bomb was exploded and other was diffused by the team of Nepal army.

According to Kiran Rai, district representative of Bhojpur, an unidentified people have exploded a bomb in two different places in the morning of June 27. Both bombs were planted in the house of ward candidates of Nepali congress and CPN UML. The incidents of series of explosions have terrorized candidates and locals. There was no serious damage by the explosion according to the police.

Province Number 5

According to the district representative Narayan Parajuli of Nawalparasi, a team led by INSEC western regional coordinator Shiva Khakurel on behalf of CCCE has monitored the pre-election preparation inParasi. Meanwhile, police have arrested four people and taken into custody on June 26 on charge of operating anti-election activities on the district along with explosion on Som Nath Bridge at Sunwal Municipality-3. According to Gulmi district representative Top Lal Aryal, all the preparation of election has been finalized in the district and security has been tightened in the district. Information officer Laxman Paudel of the election office said that the distribution of voter’s ID has been commenced in the district and almost 90 percent of the ID cards have been distributed. The process of voters coming in the district from various places has begun. In some places, commuters are found to be stranded dur to the general strike called on by the Nepal

Secretariat Citizen's Campaign for Clean Election (CCCE)

Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) Tel.: 5218770 Fax: 015218251; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.cleanelection.org

Communist Party. The security meeting has been held in the district after the anti-election activities were active in the district according to Krishna Prasad Dhungana. On June 27, an interaction program was held by NHRC regional Office of Butwal with the election observing organizations of the district.

According to Rupendehi district representative Reem BC, the election preparation has been finalized in the district for June 28 local level elections according to the district election office. According to the office, more than 85 percent of the voters have received the voter’s ID card from theor respective polling centers. The security condition of the district has been tightened so as to make the election, clean, fair and fearless. A team led by INSEC regional coordinator Shiva Khakurel has observed the polling centers along with other observing organizations. During the monitoring, the team had urged political parties to play important role to make the election fair, clan and fearless.

According to representative Narayan Bhushal, 85 percent of the voters ID has been distributed in the district quoting the source of Election Office of the district. On the eve of the election, there was some incident of violation of code of conduct however no written complaint has been lodged yet. The District Administration Office of the district said that the security has been tightened in the district based on the security sensitivity. Yagya Murti Timilsina of Palpa district said that the election preparation is in final phase and no serious incidents have been reported yet. According to Kapilbastu District representative Nanda Ram Paudel, on the eve of the election, the regional office of NHRC Butwal along with INSEC district representative and rights activists have monitored the election situation of the district. CDO Bishnu Prasad Dhakal said that the security situation has been tightened in the district so that voters can cast their votes in fearless environment. Especially trained dogs have been mobilized in the bordering area for the security according to DSP Pralad Adhikari of DPO. According to our representative Rabindra Pandey, vehicles of mayor and vice-mayor candidates have been vandalized on the eve of the election. A vehicle with registration number Ba9Cha6541 used by the UML candidate of mayor on the day of election was vandalized. In -4, , a vehicle parked at the house of local Balaju Shrestha has been vandalized by an unidentified people. According to Dang district representative J.N Sagar, an unidentififed group of people have kept hoax bombs in various place of the district and the security personnel have removed it from five places. The bombs were kept in order to terrorize voters. Meanwhile, a bomb planted near the house of mayor candidate Gehendra Giri of Nepali Congress in Tulsipur has been removed by the police according to SP Dhiraj Pratap Singh. Similary, another bomb in Traffick Chowk, B.P Chok of Tulsipur and Arnika Maidan were removed by the police.

Candidate’s vehicles vandalized

Secretariat Citizen's Campaign for Clean Election (CCCE)

Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) Tel.: 5218770 Fax: 015218251; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.cleanelection.org

Meanwhile, a vehicle of mayor candidate Gehendra Giri of Nepali Congress was vandalized by an unidentified group of people on June 26. The vehicle with registration number Ba14Cha6358 was vandeized according to the police. Nepali Congress accused CPN UML cadres being responsible for the incident however the party has denied the allegation.

Normal lives of people affected by General Strike

The general strike called on by Nepal Communist Party led by Biplov has affected the loves of people in Dang. The vehicles are affected from the morning due to the strike. The road section of eastern highway is almost quite. The commuters have been stranded. According to Rolpa district representative Madhav Oli, the lives of the district has been affected by the general strike called on by the NCP on June 27. The voters were straned after not getting vehicles to go to their respective polling center for tomorrow’s election. The Libang Bazar was completely closed due to the strike. Similarly, in 154 polling centers of Rolpa more than 80 percent of the voters ID have been distributed according to the district election office. The code of conduct after the beginning of silent period has been followed by the political parties. The security of the district remains tight according to DAO Rolpa.Meanwhile; District secretary Dal Bahadur Khatri of NCP led by Biplov said that the party has boycotted the election so he will move ahead as per the party’s mandate despite of his candidacy in the local level election. All party’s cadres who have given their candidacy have been removed from the party membership.

In Banke district, the banners, flags and pamphlets have not been removed yet despite of the beginning of silent period. The political parties violating the code of conduct by putting banners with photos includes Nepali Congress, UML, maois Center, RPP and Federal Socialist party and the parties have been cautioned according to chief polling officer Rabi Lal Panth. More than 90 percent of the preparation has been made for the election. The security has been tightened in the district focusing the election according to SP Tek Prasad Rai. The bordering area will be monitored according to him.

According to Bardiya district representative Man Bahadur Chaudhary, the security threat has been increased in the district especially after the beginning of the silent period. There was an incident of clash reported between the UML and Maoist center at Barbardiya Municipality-7 on the night of June 26. Cadres from both parties were injured in a clash. In Guleriya Municipality- 2, there was a clash between the cadres of UML and Maoist center on June 12. The cadres of Maoist centre have chased NC cadres after they attempted to throw party at Maduwan Municipality-4 to influence voters against the election code of conduct. The security situation of the district has been tightened according to the District Police Office of Bardiya. More than 90 percent of the voters have received the voter’s ID card according to district election office.

Secretariat Citizen's Campaign for Clean Election (CCCE)

Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) Tel.: 5218770 Fax: 015218251; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.cleanelection.org

Province Number 7

According to Kailali district representative Rabina Chaudhary, 29 years old NCP cadre Chandra Bahadur Singh of Dhangadhi Municipality-12, Jugeda was killed after a bomb that he was carrying exploded in Dhangadhi sub- metropolis-4, Khanepani road. Seriously injured Singh died on the way to the hospital. Prior to death, the cadre had given his identification according to SP Arjun Chand of Kailali. The objective of carrying bomb was to terrify voters according to police. Locals are terrorized by the incident. According to Kanchanpur district representative Komal Niranjan Bhatt, political parties have followed code of conduct after the beginning of silent period. However, in Bhimdatta Municipality, Betkot municipality, Suklaphanta and in other polling stations, some of the parties like NC, UML and Maoist center were found to be violating code of conduct. The posters, banners and flags of the parties still remain near the polling center which is against the code of conduct.

According to Narendra Singh Karki of Darchula district police have arrested four cadres of Nepali congress on charge of planning to attack ward chairman candidate Danidatta Bhatta of CPN UML in Shailya Shikhar Municipality-4, Ranishikhar. The accused were on the way to attack the candidate by holding small armes according to the police. In the incident, Devi Datta Bhatta, son of the candidate was minorly injured. The accused are taken into custody for investigation according to ASI Bikram Bhushal. According to Achham District representative Shiva Prasad Dhungana, a baltin Bomb was recovered from Turmakhand village council and Dhakari village council on June 27. The bomb was disposed by a team of Nepal army according to inspector Karna Bahadur Bom of DPO. The incident site is quite far away from the polling center according to police. The security of the district has been tightened based on secueity categorization according to DPO. In Bajhang district Representative Prakash BK, the political parties are in final phase on seeking votes from their voters. Some incidents of giving party to influence voters have been reported in the district. There are possibilities of clash between the cadres of UML and congress. The preparation of the election has been concluded in the district according to district election office. According to Dadeldhura district representative Bhupendra Bista, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is busy of meeting with his cadres during the silent period. The Prime Minister had addressed the election assembly in various places on Sunday which is against the election code of conduct.

For Detail information Visit www.cleanelection.org

Secretariat Citizen's Campaign for Clean Election (CCCE)

Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) Tel.: 5218770 Fax: 015218251; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.cleanelection.org