KATHMANDU: Prime Minister and Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has proposed the ruling coalition not to amend the Local Level Election Act 2016  and to hold local level elections soon.

The Election Commission has proposed to hold the election within April, saying that the term of the local people’s representative will end on May 19 as per the Local Level Election Act.

However, the five ruling parties had agreed to amend the local level election act saying that it was inconsistent with the constitution.

The coalition parties have been mulling over to make arrangements for holding elections within six months of the end of the term of local people’s representatives.

According to the leaders, it was agreed to hold the elections of all the three levels (local level, province and House of Representatives) in March 2023..

At a meeting of the ruling five-party alliance held in Baluwatar on Saturday, Prime Minister Deuba proposed immediate local elections without amending the law.

“We have not said when we will do it, but we will hold local elections in accordance with the law,” said a coalition leader, “Then we will come to a decision. “

Earlier, the ruling coalition leaders who met at Prime Minister Deuba’s official residence in Baluwatar Saturday morning failed to reach a consensus on the local election date.

The coalition leaders are meeting again at 4 pm to discuss on the election date.

Prime Minister Deuba, who seemed flexible on election date before, changed his tone after NC central working committee meeting of Saturday.

Most of the NC leaders including General Secretary Gagan Thapa and Vice President Dhan Raj Gurung urged the party President not to go with the coalition agenda of amending the constitution to delay local level election.