KATHMANDU, Oct 5: The Election Commission (EC) has appointed chief returning officers and returning officers in all 165 election constituencies for the upcoming parliamentary and provincial assembly elections. 

As part of its preparations a board meeting of the EC on Tuesday appointed 77 district judges as chief returning officers and other judiciary officials as returning officers. "The commission has entrusted them the responsibility as per legal provisions. All of them are from judicial background," said EC Spokesperson Navaraj Dhakal.
 
Spokesperson Dhakal said a two-day orientation will be conducted for returning officers from October 10 and officials will head for their respective constituencies after the orientation. EC plans to open offices of chief returning officers and returning officers in October there after which the officials can expedite poll preparations in their respective constituencies. The election body is conducting provincial and parliamentary elections in two phases. 

The EC has began printing ballot papers for the polls from Wednesday and other logistical and administrative preparations are under way. However, the decision by the CPN (Maoist Center), a key member in the ruling coalition, to forge electoral alliance with the main opposition CPN-UML has raised doubts whether the elections will be held as scheduled. 

The election officials, however, claimed that they are determined to holding the polls on the scheduled dates. "We can't compromise on the holding of polls and what the government does will not affect our preparations," said Spokesperson Dhakal. 

 
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