KATHMANDU: The Election Commission Nepal has said it will conduct a study into why the number of women listed in the voter roll appears lower despite women constituting a larger share of the population.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari made the remarks while addressing the closing session of the “Election and Mass Communication Workshop and Chief Trainer Training” organized by the Commission in Kathmandu on Friday.
He said the Commission initiated the study after observing that although the 2078 BS national census shows a higher female population, the number of registered female voters is comparatively lower in the electoral roll.
Bhandari shared that during a recent visit to western Nepal, women aged between 50 and 60 informed him that their names were missing from the voter list. He pledged to investigate the issue and create an environment to prevent such discrepancies in the future.
“The parties have informed the Election Commission that they will unveil their policies and programmes through their manifestos this week. Journalists should examine whether the agendas desired by the present generation are included and report accordingly,” he said.
Referring to the political developments following the September 8 and 9 incidents, Bhandari said the Commission had facilitated dialogue among parties that were previously at odds in order to create a conducive environment for the upcoming elections.
He described the Commission and the media as “two sides of the same coin” in ensuring free, fair and credible elections.
On the issue of Nepalis residing abroad being unable to vote in the March 5 House of Representatives election, Bhandari clarified that the Commission cannot make provisions for overseas voting in the absence of a legal framework permitting it.
He also stated that the Commission is preparing to conduct a frugal election, noting that it has not received support from foreign development partners this time.
A total of 50 journalists from mainstream media participated in the training programme.
During the workshop, Joint Secretary and Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai presented on the Commission’s major preparations for the House of Representatives election 2082. Joint Secretary Yagya Prasad Bhattarai briefed participants on key provisions of the election code of conduct, its implementation status, and the responsibilities of the media.
Similarly, Joint Secretary Rajendra Kumar KC conducted sessions on voter education programmes, sample ballots, correct voting procedures and circumstances under which ballots may be invalidated. Under Secretary Yogesh Aryal provided training on the Commission’s information system websites and social media monitoring mechanisms.
Journalist Rajanish Bhandari also delivered a session on the role and responsibilities of the media during elections, including the use and monitoring of social media platforms.
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