KATHMANDU, August 11: Minister for Supplies Min Bishwokarma today said the date of the two elections--provincial and federal--would be announced before Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba pays an official visit to India.
 
Preparations were on to announce the poll date, and it will be likely once the Election Commission gives a nod to hold the polls in a single phase, he said, speaking at a face-to-face programme at Reporter's Club Nepal in the Capital. PM Deuba's India visit is to take place on August 23, he informed. 

"The government is committed to organizing the elections within the stipulated time (January 21, 2018). There is a compulsion to conclude the polls by the fourth week of November as the time period between November-end and mid-January is not favorable for the same due to weather condition," he said. 

He said discussions with the EC were underway on the possibility of holding the elections in the single round as the EC has been against this possibility citing the concern of manpower, technical and security. 

Likewise, CPN-UML Secretary Pradip Gyawali said the constitution amendment proposal could not be passed without consultation with the UML. 

Ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Ajaya Shankar Nayak claimed that the proposal was brought in agreement with the UML while stressing the need for passing the proposal through a national consensus. 

He also demanded that lives of Dr Govinda KC, who is on a fast-on-to-death for the past 19 days, demanding reforms in the medical sector, and those temporary teachers who are on a strike be saved by addressing their genuine demands. RSS

 
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