KATHMANDU, May 12: The Election Commission on Thursday formed a panel to investigate the deadly clash between supporters of the CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) in Dolakha. 

The clash which occurred at Jugu in Gaurishankar Village Council on Wednesday left a UML supporter dead and scores others injured.

The probe panel led by election commissioner Sudhir Shah will visit the incident site. Dolakha Police has already arrested eight people in connection with the clash. 

With sudden rise in poll-related violence, the EC has directed the security agencies to remain on alert to avoid possible violence in future. Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav said that the election body was committed to ensuring proper environment for free, fair and impartial polls. He said that the EC has set up a joint election operation center to make necessary arrangement for polls security. The joint operation center is responsible for deployment of temporary police, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Nepal Army. 
 
The EC has received more than two dozen cases of poll-related violence in the last one week. On Thursday, separate clashes were reported in Pokhara and Chitwan.
 
Though polls security has always remained a big concern for the government, there is bigger challenge in maintaining law and order in the local elections because of large number of candidates. More than 49,327 candidates are contesting in the first phase of the local polls, which will elect 13,556 representatives for the local governments of three provinces. 

 Similarly, there is equally big threat from various poll-opposing forces like Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist.

Balkrishna Panthi, spokesperson at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said around 60,000 security personnel have been deployed for the first phase of local polls, while some have been held in reserve. 

 
• election commission
 
• cpn-uml
 
• cpn (maoist center)
 
• deadly clash