Polling centres need to be disabled-friendly: Election observers

Kathmandu, Nov. 20

The Election Observation Committee Nepal (EOC-Nepal) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said on Sunday that the voters, especially, the disabled ones had to face difficulty to exercise their suffrage rights due to the restriction on vehicular movement and inaccessible polling centres.

According to the NHRC, in some polling stations in Palpa, Ramechhap, Bhojpur and other districts, it has been reported that the voters had to walk for four to five hours to go to vote, and due to strictness in the distribution of vehicle passes from the district administration office, there was a problem in getting disabled voters to the polling station and back home. The human rights body has noted that most of the polling stations across the country were not friendly for disabled people.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission Nepal (ECN) was criticised for the negligence shown in making the polling centres and booths disabled people-friendly.

The EOC Nepal also found that the weakness in terms of making the polling centres accessible to women and disabled-people.

 "In some places, disabled people have reached polling stations by crawling, in crochets, with the support from their relatives while some people misused the voting rights of disabled-people which created brief conflict among the representatives of political parties as well," it said in a statement.

Similarly, this year too, the complaint that many people could not feel the impact of election education and voter education in a physical way remained the same. During the silent period (fixed time), the complaints of feasting, distribution of money, and distribution of clothes continued and the violation of the code of conduct was widespread in different ways, noted EOC Nepal.

"When our observers reached the polling stations in course of supervision, it was found that the voters returning after casting their votes were treated with food. Cadres of political parties have been distributing Rs. 100 and Rs. 200 to buy cigarettes," said the EOC Nepal.

In addition, there was the atmosphere where the voters should be afraid because of the fear and slander of the political parties and candidates and false information and hateful expressions. The EOC Nepal has not directly questioned the fairness of the election but stressed on the need to make the election clean and more accountable. It has drawn the attention of the ECN towards making improvements in polling centres and in the management of voting materials, and making the voters education more effective. It also said that the enthusiasm was lacking in the voters, especially in the young ones.

Likewise, the NHRC said that about 27,000 inmates could not exercise their voting rights while the voters were distributed different ballot papers in some polling stations creating confusions in the voters. However, despite bomb explosions and geographical hardships, the voters managed to reach the polling centres to cast their votes.

Forty-two teams comprised of the officials and former officials of the NHRC and other constitutional bodies were mobilised in election observation. Similarly, the EOC Nepal has mobilised 523 observers in 77 districts. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 November 2022.