The National Human Rights Commission has said its serious attention has been drawn to the situation in Bharatpur Metropolis after ballot papers of the local level election were torn during the last phase of counting on Sunday.

In a statement on Thursday, the NHRC said all the sides should respect the voters’ right to elect a candidate of their choice while honouring the right of a candidate to be elected with maximum votes.

“It’s a duty of all the political parties, candidates and their representatives to allow the election process to take place in a fair and impartial manner according to the spirit of the constitution and international human rights, citizens’ and political rights,” read the statement.

The constitutional rights body sent a letter to the Election Commission underlining the need for increased vigilance to ensure that such events do not repeat in the future.

The NHRC has sought proper investigation into the matter and legal action against the guilty.