The Sunsari District Election Office conducted a mock election in Itahari on Tuesday, which saw a participation from 101 people. 

Janaki Karna, chief election officer, said of the total votes cast, 12 (10.62%) were invalid.

The election office had staged the mock election as part of its voter education programme in a run-up to the second phase of local level elections slated for June 28. It has also mobilised facilitators throughout Sunsari for voter education while mock elections are being held in several places to teach people how to cast their votes correctly.

Karna said their aim was to reduce the number of invalid votes.  

Many voters in the first phase of elections held on May 14 had found the ballot paper confusing. 

For the second phase of the polls, Karna said, the Election Commission was trying to ensure that the voters are well versed about voting process before they exercise their franchise on June 28. 

 There are 421,169 voters in six village councils, four municipalities and two-sub metropolis in Sunsari.

Similarly, 10% of the total votes cast during a mock election at Arkhabang in Malika Village Council, Gulmi, were invalid. At Hansara in Satyawati Village Council, 7% of the votes were invalid. 

The election office in the district  said it has directed the concerned officials to take the voter education programme to every corner of the district.

In Kailali, the election candidates themselves are educating people how to cast their votes in their campaigns. 

9 polling centres deemed sensitive

GULMI: The local administration has prepared a separate security plan for Gulmi 

after nine voting centres were identified as sensitive in terms of security. These polling centres are not connected with road networks and are far away from the administrative centre of the village councils. It takes at least two to four hours by walk to reach these voting centres from the centre of the village councils, making security enforcement challenging. Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Dhungana said a special security plan will be put in place for the nine polling centres.

Parties pledge to develop tourism 

BIRATNAGAR: The election activities have picked up in Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Village Council, the northern part of Solukhumbu district, also known as Khumbu region. The parties have prioritised the issue of tourism development in their commitment letters. The Mount Everest also lies in the village council. The people have demanded the parties to open road up to Surke in Chaurkharka and develop foot trails in the tourist area. There are 4,449 voters in the village council.

Candidate from Naya Shakti attacked

DANG: Nanda Kumar Chaudhary, the candidate of Naya Shakti Party from Rapti Village Council, was attacked at Kataha in Rapti-2. Chaudhary claimed that he was assaulted by the supporters of CPN (Maoist Centre). The Maoist Centre has, meanwhile, accused Chaudhary of distributing money to voters. Nirmal Acharya, a local Maoist Centre leader, said the dispute will be resolved through talks.