India's Chief Election Commissioner In Nepal As Poll Observer

A delegation from the Election Commission of India led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Sunday observed the general elections in Nepal and visited several polling stations.

Nepal went to polls to elect a new parliament and provincial assemblies amid tight security, hoping to end the political instability that has plagued the Himalayan nation for more than a decade and impeded growth.

Federal and Provincial polls were held on Sunday to elect 275 members of the House of Representatives and 550 seats of the seven Provincial Assemblies.

Mr Kumar, 62, was leading a four-member delegation, including two officials from the Election Commission of India.

Foreign election observers supervised the polling centres of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, MyRepublica news portal reported.

Forty-six organisations were assigned to supervise the polls, in which a team including officials from the election commissions of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and South Korea supervised the election on Sunday, it said.

While Mr Kumar led the Indian team, Bangladesh's delegation was led by its Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal. Similarly, Bhutan CEC Sonam Topgay and Maldives Election Commission President Fuwad Thowfeek supervised the elections in Nepal.

A team -- including two Sri Lankan election commissioners MM Mohammad and SB Divaratne; and South Korean Election Commissioner Kim Chang-Bo -- also supervised the polls, the report said.

Nepal's Election Commission Act allows any domestic or foreign person or organisation to supervise the works related to the election. The persons and organisations engaged in supervision observed the issues related to legitimacy, independence, fairness, neutrality and equality of the election, it said.

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