Election Commission intensifies voter education programme, mobilizes volunteers in wards

Kathmandu. KATHMANDU — The Election Commission (EC) has expanded the voter education programme to the local levels with the objective of minimizing the risk of invalid voting and making the voters aware as the House of Representatives elections are approaching.

The EC has launched a special programme from February 19 with the objective of extending voter education to the ward level. Under this programme, one volunteer will be mobilized at all wards of each local level.

According to the EC, the education program has been prioritized to enable voters to understand the voting process, use of correct ballot code and identify misinformation. The EC believes that this will reduce the number of invalid votes and help in the proper exercise of voting rights.

The election process for the selection of volunteers will be forwarded through the concerned election office from among the child development facilitators, maternity and child workers, health volunteers and community study center operators working at the local level.

Likewise, the Commission has expanded collaboration with government-owned media and regulatory bodies for the effective production and dissemination of voter education material. It has already signed agreements with Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), Public Service Broadcasting Nepal, Gorkhapatra Sansthan, Advertisement Board and Press Council Nepal.

The EC is hopeful that effective voter education would help ensure free, fair and credible elections.

The House of Representatives election is scheduled for March 4. A total of 275 members, including 165 through the first-past-the-post system and 110 under the proportional representation system, will be elected to the election.