Kathmandu, April 24
The Election Commission has clarified that it cannot give the name and election symbol as the newly unified Rastriya Janata Party demanded for the upcoming local level elections.
In a meeting called by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today, the election commissioners clarified that the newly formed party could register itself with the Commission before the polls, but that would not be effective immediately as the Election Commission would not print new ballot papers with new election symbols for the scheduled elections.
That means candidates of the new party would be given the status of independent candidates and they would have to accept the symbols assigned by the constitutional body.
The party was formed last week after the merger of six Madhesh-centric political forces.
Meanwhile, the Commission said it would soon begin registration of parties for the second-phase polls scheduled for June 14.
Likewise, the Commission also rescheduled the date of filing nominations for the first-phase polls to be held on May 14.
Whereas the parties had been called to file candidacies on April 29 earlier, they should register the nominations now on June 1, according to the Commission.
PM Dahal, election commissioners and leaders of the agitating Madheshi Morcha including the RJP were present in the meeting held at the PM’s official residence in Baluwatar.
